Angela DealeA bowl of lentil soup for a cold afternoon
We had our first dusting of snow earlier this week in Toronto, which is depressing because it means winter is really, utterly here. Or soon will be. (Yet some unfortunate people in areas southwest of us were literally snowed in--so I should count myself lucky!)
With cold weather comes the hankering for soup, and if you're like me, you pretty much love any kind of soup. Soup is good all year round, but when it's nippy outside, having a hot bowl of soup can ignite a warmth that radiates to the tips of your toes.
The following recipe is one that I use often for lentil soup. It's delicious, with a hint of spice. It's an adaptable recipe--you can vary the types of broth, veggies, and spices, and it still manages to come out well. I often make a large batch of it and keep leftovers in the fridge for re-heating, or take it to work for lunches. It should keep for a few days (though it's never lasted much longer than that, I find).
Ingredients
Directions
With cold weather comes the hankering for soup, and if you're like me, you pretty much love any kind of soup. Soup is good all year round, but when it's nippy outside, having a hot bowl of soup can ignite a warmth that radiates to the tips of your toes.
The following recipe is one that I use often for lentil soup. It's delicious, with a hint of spice. It's an adaptable recipe--you can vary the types of broth, veggies, and spices, and it still manages to come out well. I often make a large batch of it and keep leftovers in the fridge for re-heating, or take it to work for lunches. It should keep for a few days (though it's never lasted much longer than that, I find).
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pound red lentils (or approx. 2.5 cups)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 medium-large carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Directions
- Bring chicken and vegetable broths and lentils to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Stir onions and carrot into the lentils and season with cumin and cayenne.
- Simmer until the lentils are tender--about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.
