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evileI warmed up some leftovers for lunch & the coworkers are all talking about "what's that smell?" but it seems mostly in a good way...
Anyway, I figure now is as good a time to share recipes as any. I made Lentil Soup & Hummus the other night.
I started with a Red Lentil Soup recipe I found online, doubled it, substituted regular gray-green lentils for red lentils (because I couldn't find red lentils at the grocery store), left out the tomato paste, and instead of cumin, salt, and pepper, used some Raz al Hanout that my mom got for me at Phoenicia last time she was in town. OH! And as a base, I used home made chicken broth, frozen from when I did all that chicken for the last HFS event. I think that made a HUGE difference in the flavor. Canned broth or bouillon cubes just don't cut it. When it was done, I used a food processor to mix the soup to a very smooth & creamy consistency. It was very tasty, a bit spicy, but also quite flavorful. I did good!
I also had to improvise a bit on the Hummus recipe. I didn't have tahini, so I used some sesame oil I had on hand. It added a nice smokey flavor, very tasty.
The original recipes:
Red Lentil Soup With Lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
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.
Yield: 4 servings.
==================
Hummus
Hummus is a creamy puree of chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste) seasoned with lemon juice and garlic, and is a popular spread and dip in Greece and throughout the Middle East. Hummus can be served as part of a meze platter; with bread or vegetable crudités for dipping; as a spread or filling for pita, lavash or Turkish pide bread; or as a tasty, creamy alternative to butter in sandwiches. A spoonful or two of hummus can also be added to Middle Eastern or Greek-style pilafs and stews to add richness.
2 cloves garlic—roughly chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
14 oz (400g) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)—rinsed and drained
½ cup tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
PLACE all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally.
Variations: If you like a spicier hummus, add a small red chili (chopped) or a pinch of cayenne pepper, or try a little cumin for a more exotic variation.
Tip: Prepare extra quantities of this hummus recipe—it can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week and frozen for up to 3 months.
Anyway, I figure now is as good a time to share recipes as any. I made Lentil Soup & Hummus the other night.
I started with a Red Lentil Soup recipe I found online, doubled it, substituted regular gray-green lentils for red lentils (because I couldn't find red lentils at the grocery store), left out the tomato paste, and instead of cumin, salt, and pepper, used some Raz al Hanout that my mom got for me at Phoenicia last time she was in town. OH! And as a base, I used home made chicken broth, frozen from when I did all that chicken for the last HFS event. I think that made a HUGE difference in the flavor. Canned broth or bouillon cubes just don't cut it. When it was done, I used a food processor to mix the soup to a very smooth & creamy consistency. It was very tasty, a bit spicy, but also quite flavorful. I did good!
I also had to improvise a bit on the Hummus recipe. I didn't have tahini, so I used some sesame oil I had on hand. It added a nice smokey flavor, very tasty.
The original recipes:
Red Lentil Soup With Lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.
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.
Yield: 4 servings.
==================
Hummus
Hummus is a creamy puree of chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste) seasoned with lemon juice and garlic, and is a popular spread and dip in Greece and throughout the Middle East. Hummus can be served as part of a meze platter; with bread or vegetable crudités for dipping; as a spread or filling for pita, lavash or Turkish pide bread; or as a tasty, creamy alternative to butter in sandwiches. A spoonful or two of hummus can also be added to Middle Eastern or Greek-style pilafs and stews to add richness.
2 cloves garlic—roughly chopped
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
14 oz (400g) canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)—rinsed and drained
½ cup tahini
1 teaspoon sea salt
PLACE all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally.
Variations: If you like a spicier hummus, add a small red chili (chopped) or a pinch of cayenne pepper, or try a little cumin for a more exotic variation.
Tip: Prepare extra quantities of this hummus recipe—it can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week and frozen for up to 3 months.
