07 March 2009

Potage of Lentils


This soup is YUMMY!  The lemon juice in it gives a hint of springtime flavor.  I adapted this recipe from 400 Soups by Anne Sheasby.  She says this soup is sometimes referred to as Esau's soup.  Esau was Issac's first born son in the Bible and thus entitled to Issac's possessions and land as his birthright.  The story goes that Esau went hunting and returned ravenous from the trip to find his younger brother Jacob making a pot of delicious smelling soup.  Esau trades his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of Jacob's soup.  I'm not sure this soup is worthy of trading in one's birthright, but it is darn-right yummy and filling.  The soup, like so many others, was even more yummy the next day for lunch.  I'm sending this over to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday round-up.  Enjoy!

Potage of Lentils adapted from 400 Soups by Anne Sheasby

Ingredients:

3 Tbls. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery sticks, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 c. red lentils, rinsed
4 cups chicken stock 
2 bay leaves
1 large lemon, quartered
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Tabasco sauce, to finish
salt and pepper to taste
lemon slices and chopped parsely to finish

Directions:

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped onion and saute until onion is slightly translucent.  Add the celery, garlic and the potato.  Cook for a few minutes until beginning to soften.
2.  Add the lentils and the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.  Cook for about 30 minutes until the potato and lentils are tender.
3.  Add the bay leaves.  Squeeze 2 of the lemon quarters into the juice and drop them into the soup.  Cook the soup for an additional 10 minutes.
4.  Remove the bay leaves and the lemon quarters.  Squeeze the additional 2 lemon quarters into the soup.
5.  Puree in batches in the blender or use an immersion blender to blend soup until smooth.
6.  Add the cumin and stir through.  Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
7.  To serve:  ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and Tabasco.  Garnish with lemon slices and chopped parsley.  *Note*  Please don't give away your birthright while this is cooking!  :)



24 comments:

Chef E said...

I love lemon and that looks like a nice color combo! Bet it tastes as good too!

Meg said...

Oh wow! I bet it has a lovely texture too!

Cathy said...

mmmm lemon and cumin together would be great!! I've never actually cooked with lentils but regularly go out for Ethiopian food just to have them.

Tangled Noodle said...

Delicious! It looks so creamy - do let the lentils and potatoes cook until they break down or do you blend it somehow to get this texture? I love the beautiful drizzle of olive oil on top!

Irene said...

I love lentil soup, and with potatoes, it must be absolutely heavenly!

Lori said...

Oooh! I love my lentils. Can't wait to try this!!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I never heard of that cookbook. I love anything with lentils. It's so filling.

test it comm said...

That lentil soup looks really good!

Reeni said...

That sounds like a great cookbook! The soup looks wonderful, love the lemon it it!

Nurit "1 family. friendly. food." said...

This is a gorgeous photo!

Anonymous said...

This looks really yummy! I may have to try it, soon! I just need to find red lentils...

Tina said...

Oh wow - I have all the ingredients for this in my cupboard and fridge now! But I don't know if it makes a difference if it's red or plain old lentils. Do you think it matters?

Anonymous said...

Aha, I had lentil soup myself this evening. Of course it was a different lentil soup to this and not one that involved any forsaking of birthrights. It was yummy, though yours looks like it might be worth considering the whole birthright thing :)

Bob said...

I'm not a big lentil fan, but I've never had them like that. Another thing on the list of things to try!

Donna-FFW said...

Great minds think alike. I just posted a lentil soup for souper sundays. yours sounds delcious, especially with the lemon.

gaga said...

That looks so fresh and delicious. Normally, when I think of lentils, I think heavy, but this doesnt look that way at all. Great job!

pigpigscorner said...

Looks gorgeous and it sounds so delicious!

Jo said...

This looks like an interesting recipe and the flavours sound delicious.

Claudia said...

Love lentils (as do all your "commenters" and this looks yummy and perfect for a cool March eve. Will bookmark this. Thanks!

Deb in Hawaii said...

Lemon with lentils is such a great combo and cumin too--it sounds wonderful! Thanks for another great Souper Sunday contribution--the post is up.

Aloha,

Deb

Abigail (aka Mamatouille) said...

I love lentils and I'm always looking for new lentils soups - I have a favorite curry one with lentils and kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), but I'm definitely trying your lemony one soon! Bookmarking this...

Peter M said...

Um Um good! I too add a pinch of cumin with lentils or chickpeas...ya can't get this stuff in a can!

Lori said...

This looks amazing! That is my kind of soup!

Diana said...

What a beautiful photo! It looks really yummy.

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