Lentil Soup with Lemon

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground chile powder or cayenne, more to taste
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• Nutritional Information

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
4. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
5. Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

French Lentil Soup

French Lentil Soup
from My Pantry by Alice Waters

1 and 1/2 cups green lentils (the smallest ones are really good in this soup)
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 small celery stalk, diced
sea salt ad freshly ground pepper
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, diced or crushed
1 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 quarts vegetable stock, or 1 quart water & 1 quart vegetable stock
1 bunch spinach (leaves only) washed, rinsed and roughly torn 
Juice of one lemon
basil and or cilantro leaves for topping

Sort and rinse the lentils thoroughly

Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the lentils and stock along with a couple of pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, skim off froth, and simmer for 25 - 40 minutes until lentils are soft and fully cooked. Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Just before serving, add the lemon juice. Top with cilantro/basil leaves and a dash of olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

Winter version: Substitute kale for the spinach, and add roasted chunks of winter squash right before serving.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Gourmet, November 1996
Yield: 9 cups
Three 15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup minced shallot
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups beef broth
a 16-ounce can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry
3 to 4 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds
In a food processor coarsely puree beans and tomatoes.
In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Just before serving, add ham and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper.
Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Tortilla Soup with Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or medium-hot chili powder
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon mild or medium-hot chili powder
• 2 plump garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 1 ½ quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock or garlic broth
• 6 corn tortillas, cut in strips
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
• Lime wedges for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Lay cauliflower on its side and, using a sharp chef’s knife, shave off thin slices of the top of the florets so that the cauliflower falls apart into ricelike bits. Shave enough to acquire 3 cups cauliflower “rice.” The volume will reduce quite a lot after roasting. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste, and 1 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili powder. Place in oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until cauliflower is thoroughly tender and some bits are lightly colored but not burnt. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and chili powder and stir together for a minute, then add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant. Add tomatoes, stir well to deglaze bottom of pot, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add stock or broth, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. While soup is simmering, toast tortilla strips in batches in microwave. Place in a single layer on a plate and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Turn strips over and microwave for another minute. Repeat if necessary for 30 seconds, or until crisp and light brown. Set aside.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Bring back to a simmer and stir in cilantro. Simmer for 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in lime juice.
5. Distribute toasted tortilla strips and cauliflower “rice” among soup bowls and ladle in the soup. Top with crumbled cheese and serve.

• Advance preparation: The soup keeps well for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. Wait until you are ready to serve to add cilantro for the final simmer. The tortilla strips will keep for several hours.
• Variation: For an enriched soup, beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Whisk in a ladleful or two of the hot soup. Stir back into the simmering soup and serve as above.

KALE & WHITE BEAN SOUP

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Kale & White Bean Soup

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 (32 ounces) box low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4 cups packed chopped kale
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can Italian-style diced tomatoes (optional) or 3 T. tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 T. fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add broth, kale, tomatoes, and carrots,  and cover. Cook 15 minutes or until kale and carrots are tender. Add beans and lemon juice and heat thoroughly. Serve hot.

Cauliflower Bread Soup

From: A Tuscan In the Kitchen
This is considered one of the great soups from the Montalcino area of Italy. It has very little broth, looking almost like a sloppy bread pudding. Serve right away.

-salt
-olive oil
-black pepper
-garlic
-parmesan cheese
-cauliflower
-Italian bread

Remove the outside leaves from the head of the cauliflower and boil them in a large quantity of salted water for about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the cauliflower into florets and add them to the pot. Cook at a low boil until completely tender.

Drain the leaves and florets and keep the water they were cooked in.

Slice the bread, toast it, and rub both sides with garlic. Soak the bread in the cauliflower water.

Now start to build the soup. In a large bowl, or individual bowls, make a layer of bread. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt, papper, and Parmesan. The spread a layer of cauliflower florets and leaves over the bread. Make another bread layer an dkeep building until you run out, working quickly so the soup stays hot. Serve it right away when it's hot.

TOMATO SOUP

From The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters:

Warm a heavy-bottomed pan. Add:
-3 T. olive oil
-1 medium onion, thinly sliced
-1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced
-pinch of salt

Cover and cook until soft but not brown. Add water to keep from browning if necessary.

Add:
-2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced or crushed

Cook for about two minutes, then add:
-2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, washed, cored and sliced.. or two cans of good quality diced tomatoes.
-1 scant T. white rice
-large pinch of salt
-1/2 bay leaf
-1 small sprig of savory, thyme or basil

Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes fall apart. Add:
-1 cup water or broth
-1 T. olive oil or butter

Continue cooking for another ten minutes, until the rice is tender. Remove the herb sprig. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt. Add more water if the soup is too thick.

-Garnish with mint or croutons, or with torn basil or finely cut chives and olive oil

Potato/Corn/Tomato Soup

These amounts are approximate...adjust according to your tastes...

Saute in olive oil in a big pot:
-2 celery stalks, minced
-1 large onion, minced
-3 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper

When all is soft but not browned, add:
-3 russet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
-1 large can tomato sauce, or 1 large can chopped tomatoes, or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
-about 1/2 bag frozen corn, thawed
-1 bay leaf
-1 tsp. dried oregano
-1 tsp. dried basil
-4-6 cups of liquid (depending on if you want this to be more like a stew or soup - I use half broth and half water.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes

Russian Borscht

This hearty soup is ruby colored and delicious, with a healthy variety of vegetables...from an early Moosewood Cookbook.

-One-and-a-half cup chopped onions
-One-and-a-half cup thinly-sliced potatoes
-1 cup thinly sliced beets (2 average sized beets)
-1 large, sliced carrot
-1 stalk chopped celery
-3 cups chopped cabbage
-a scant tsp. caraway seeds
-4 cups stock or water (I use water)
-2 tsp. salt
-black pepper
-1/4 tsp. dill weed
-1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. cider vinegar
-1 Tbs. + 1 tsp honey
-1 cup tomato puree

Place potatoes, beets and water in a saucepan and cook until tender (save the water).

Meanwhile, cook the onion in olive oil in a large soup pot. Add caraway seeds and salt. Cook until onion is translucent, then add celery, carrots and cabbage. Add water from beets/potatoes, and cook, covered, until all the vegetables are tender. Add the potatoes, beets and remaining ingredients.

Cover and simmer slowly for at least 30 minutes. Taste to correct seasonings

Serve topped with a dollop of plain yogurt sprinkled with dill weed.

Spicy Cauliflower Soup

From "The Art of Simple Food" by Alice Waters...
Serves 4-6

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot

Add and cook, stirring often over medium heat:
-1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced very small, almost minced
-1 tsp coriander
-1 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. chile powder
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
-1/4 tsp dried chile flakes (I used red pepper flakes)
- 1 tsp. salt
-pepper

When very soft, but not browned, add
-6 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped (I used more)
-1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed of leaves and coarsely chopped (5-6 cups)
-3 cups vegetable broth
-3 cups water

Raise the heat and bring to a boil, stir occasionally. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook about 30 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender. Stir vigorously with a spoon or whisk to coarsely puree the soup (I also put about half of it in a blender, whirled it around a bit, then returned it to the pot). Add more water or broth if the soup is too thick. Taste, adjust seasonings, add more salt if necessary. Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro or mint and a squeeze of lime juice.

The Best Lentil Soup

Cover 1 cup lentils with water. Boil 3 minutes and drain.

Add 6 cups of water (or 3 cups vegetable broth and 3 cups water), 1 large stalk celery finely sliced, 1 large carrot finely chopped, 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 3/4 c. tomato sauce, 1 bay leaf.

(I usually enlarge the recipe a bit by using one and a half cup of lentils, 4 cups water, 4 cups broth, 2 stalks celery, 2 carrots, a large onion, and a cup of tomato sauce).

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer one to one-and-a-half hours. Add more water if needed.

Add 2 - 3 T. red wine vinegar (helps to use a really good brand of vinegar), stir, and cook 10 minutes longer.

Parsley and Mint Soup

From "The Herbal Kitchen" - intensely green and flavorful.

3 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
2 T. butter
4 cups broth
1 T. white rice
4 cups gently packed flat leaf parsley sprigs, large stems removed
1/2 cup mint leaves
salt and pepper
1/c cup heavy cream (You can leave this out)
Walnut or hazelnut oil

Cook the leeks in butter in a saucpan over medium heat, stirring often until they begin to wild. Add the broth and rice. When the soup boils, cover and let it simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Stir the parsley, mint and black pepper into the simmering soup and then remove from heat. Puree the soup until it's golf course green and very smooth. Stir in cream and reheat. Taste it and add salt if need be.

Before serving, whisk in 2 T. of walnut or hazelnut oil and top with chopped, toasted walnuts or hazelnuts.

Dal With Winter Vegetables

From The Farm to Table Cookbook, by Ivy Manning

Put 1 and 1/2 cup red lentils into a pot with 6 cups of water, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp. turmeric, and 2 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are a muted amber color and the mixture is the consistency of a thick porridge.

Add:

2 cups 1" cauliflower florets

2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup roughly chopped cabbage

2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2" chunks

Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 T. olive oil in a large saute pan. Add 1 tsp. mustard seed, cover, and cook until the seeds pop, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat and add 1 tsp. cumin, 2 T. peeled, minced ginger, 2 T. minced garlic, 1 small serrano chile, finely chopped, and 2 cups minced onion. Saute until the onions begin to brown. Stir the mixture into the soup pot, season with salt and pepper, and serve in soup bowls, topped with chopped cilantro.

Creamy Onion and Fontina Soup

1 Tsb olive oil
2 Tbs butter
5 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. black pepper
rounded 1/3 cup flour
2.5 cups milk warmed slightly in micro
2.5 cups water
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 cups grated fontina cheese
dash of nutmeg and fresh parsley for topping

Warm oil and melt butter in soup pot. Add onions and salt and saute, uncovered, on medium high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. Add the thyme, nutmeg, and pepper and continue to saute until onions are lightly browned about 10 minutes.

Lower heat and while stirring constantly, gradually add the flour to make a thick roux the consistency of paste. Gently cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add one cup of milk and stir well to make a smooth thick sauce. Whisk in the remaining milk and the water, and increase heat to medium. Stir until smooth and beginning to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, mustard, and grated cheese. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and soup is hot.

Top each serving with a dash of nutmeg and parsley.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

From Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special cookbook

Minestrone Soup from Alice Waters

Minestrone means "big soup" in Italian = a soup of many vegetables.

Prepare:
-1 cup dried cannellini or borlotti beans (I use little white beans)
If using canned beans use 2-3 cups. Reserve the cooking liquid or canned liquid.

Heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat:
-1/4 cup olive oil

Add:
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
Cook for 15 minutes. Add:
-4 garlic cloves
-5 thyme sprigs (I used some fresh rosemary...1 tsp. dried thyme would work, too)
-1 bay leaf
-2 tsp. salt
Cook for 5 minutes longer. Add, and bring to a boil:
-3 cups water
When boiling, add:
-1 leek, diced
-1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
Cook for 5 minutes, then add:
-2 medium zucchini, cut into small dice
-2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 medium-sized can diced tomatoes
Cook for 15 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary.
Add the cooked/canned beans, along with
-1 cup bean cooking liquid, or liquid from canned beans and enough water to make 1 cup
-2 cups spinach leaves, coarsely chopped (about 1 lb.)
Cook for 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more bean cooking liquid or water. Remove the bay leaf.

Serve in bowls. each garnished with 2 tsp. olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Fall Minestrone variation:
Add 2 finely chopped celery stalks to the onions and carrots. Instead of thyme, add sage and rosemary with the garlic. Omit the green beans, zucchini, tomatoes and spinach, and use instead 1 bunch kale, stemmed, washed and chopped, 1 small can tomatoes, drained and chopped, and 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes (about 2 cups). Cook the tomatoes and kale with the onions for 5 minutes, add water and cook for 15 minutes. Add the squash and continue cooking until tender, about 10-15 minutes, before adding the cooked beans.

Squash/Carrot Soup with Crispy Kale

Serves 6-8

Kale Chips:
1 bunch kale, wash, patted dry, stems removed, leaves chopped into large pieces
5-7 T. olive oil, divided
Kosher salt

Soup:
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, smashed and minced
_ t. dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme, stems discarded, leave minced
2 bay leaves
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, diced
Dash salt and pepper
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped (or use small sugar pumpkin)
1 lb. carrots, cleaned and chopped
4 c. chicken broth
1 -2 c. water
1 T. apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place chopped kale on prepared cookie sheet. Drizzle with 2 to 3 T. olive oil and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt. Gently toss kale so that it’s evenly coated with oil and salt and then spread it over the cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 min. Toss and bake for an additional 5-8 min. or until slightly golden and crispy. Keep an eye on it; kale can overcook quickly once it becomes crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. Place 3 T. olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5-8 min. Add garlic and sauté for approx. 2 min. Add thyme, bay leaves, diced apple, salt and pepper and sauté 2-3 min. Add squash and carrots and continue to sauté another 2 min. Stir in chicken broth and 1 _ c. water. Reduce heat to a low simmer and let cook 25-30 min. or until carrots and squash are tender.

4. Remove soup from heat. Remove bay leaves. Puree soup with a hand-held blender. If soup is too thick, thin to desired consistency. Add apple cider vinegar. Check season and adjust salt and vinegar to taste. Reheat if necessary. Serve soup hot, topped with crispy kale.

Tortilla Soup

This vegan recipe is hearty, spicy, and delicious. Don't be put off by the number of ingredients; it isn't difficult to make and SO worth the time...

Salsa:
Whisk together 1 T. olive oil, 1 T. fresh lime juice, 2 tsps. minced fresh jalapeno chile, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 1/4 tsp. sugar. Then gently stir in 1 avocado, pitted and cut into small dice, 1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, 2 T. minced red onion, 2 T minced fresh cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside

Soup:
In big pot, warm 1 T. olive oil, then add one coarsely chopped onion, 1 coarsely chopped red or yellow bell pepper, one stalk celery chopped, and 4 cloves minced garlic. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp. cumin and stir well.

Add 3 cups vegetable stock (or half stock and half water), one 15 oz. can chopped tomatoes, one 15 oz can black beans, drained, 1/2 tp. black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in 2 T. minced cilantro and salt to taste

Top each bowl of soup with corn chips and a mound of salsa. You can add some grated cheddar cheese if you like, but it's not needed for protein or taste.