lentil soup

Generally speaking, I’m not here to post fancy photographs.  There’s plenty of other blogs that do that so well, and it’s just not my thing.  I mean, I sort of enjoy learning to use my camera in better ways, and I think my photography has certainly improved since I started this blog, which makes me happy, but my photography wanderlust ends right about there.  This especially applies to food photography, about which I always say: it’s not a magazine cover, it’s dinner.  I don’t have the time nor patience for props and special lighting and things like fake steam floating off a perfect shrimp specimen poised every so daintily on a fork.  When I’m taking a picture of food, most likely I’m about to eat it and I’m hungry (or I am surrounded by other people who are hungry and telling me to hurry up).  So I snap the picture and move on.

However, there are caveats to this little photography rule.  Like lentil soup.  Dear god, if there is any food that needs props and colors and distraction from it’s appearance, it’s lentil soup.  Fortunately, its looks belie its flavor because this is a damn fine-tasting soup.  Hearty and filling (you can’t eat roughly 75 grams of fiber for dinner and not get full), lentil soup is a favorite around here, so much so that I just made it two weeks in a row.  On top of all that, it’s full of cheap ingredients and is a one pot meal, which, in my book, makes it just about the best thing ever, despite its aesthetic challenges.

Lentil Soup

Based on a recipe by Alton Brown.

A couple things: I think this is better on the second day as leftovers, and I use green lentils.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 carrots, small dice
2-3 stalks celery, small dice
Kosher salt
1 pound lentils (roughly 2 cups), picked and rinsed
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground toasted cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Plain Greek yogurt for serving, optional
Chopped cilantro for serving, optional

Directions

Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven or other heavy pot and set over medium heat.  Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, 6-8 minutes.  Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and cayenne (if using) and stir to combine.  Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, then reduce to a low simmer and cook just until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.  Don’t overcook or the soup will be too thick and paste-like.  Using a stick blender or food processor, puree about half of the soup.  Taste for seasoning; add more salt if necessary (will depend on the stock you used), and serve immediately.

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Based on a recipe by Alton Brown.

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