Lentil and Chick Pea Soup
This versatile, multidimensional soup was adapted from our favorite chef, Laura Frankel, the founder of the Shallots restaurants of Chicago and New York.
It's a marvelous first course or a meal in itself with a good loaf of bread and a salad. Don't leave out the Charmoula - wonderful!
Soup
- 16 ounces canned chick peas, drained and rinsed, or 1 cup dried chick peas, rinsed and soaked overnight, then rinsed again
- 3 T. olive oil
- 1 very large onion, chopped
- 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
- 3 stalks of celery, finely diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 1/2 cups red lentils
- 6-8 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Charmoula to taste
Charmoula
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 cup fresh parsley
Yield: 8 servings
Place all Charmoula ingredients in a mini food processor or blender jar and process until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare chick peas. Heat oil in large soup pot, sauté the onion, fennel, celery, carrots, and garlic, seasoned
with salt and pepper until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside about 3/4 cup of the sautéed vegetables. Add
the lentils, chick peas, and 6 cups of stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook covered until the lentils are beginning
to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Stir in the coriander, cumin, lemon juice, and reserved vegetables. Reduce heat and
continue cooking the soup for about 15 minutes. You can add some additional stock to thin, if needed. Adjust the seasoning
to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with a few teaspoons of the Charmoula drizzled over the soup. This soup can be readily frozen or kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The Charmoula should be refrigerated or frozen separately.