Lemon Red-Lentil Soup

En français ici.
I know, I know, spring is right around the corner and the time for soup is coming to an end (hot soup that is, because I'm looking forward to gazpacho and fruit soups in the months to come). Still, it hasn't warmed up for good here and there was just time to try a recipe I've had bookmarked for a little while. The recipe has a bit of a story (like all good recipes). It originally comes from a Melissa Clark recipe in the New York times and was included in a quart of the soup that came to Tea, from the wonderful blog Tea & Cookies, during the winter Soup Swap (an absolutely amazing idea that I may very well have to start up in Paris next year). Tea adapted the recipe and posted about it in her entry Year of the Lentil. I bookmarked it and finally got around to testing it a couple days ago (making my own tiny adaptations of course -- nothing much because it already looked amazing).

Soup pictured here in a duet with another wonderful bookmarked recipe oeufs cocotte à la fondue de poireaux from the blog Papilles & Pupilles.

I was already a red lentil convert, usually making them Indian style, or else in simple soups (without any of the fancy touches this one has). I'll definitely be making this again though. It's delicate, and delicious, a perfect soup for spring after all.

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (or 2 small), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
a pinch of cayenne (optional)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, sliced

a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon but it really depends on taste)
salt
chopped chives and crème fraîche or yogurt to garnish

Heat the oil in a pot. Sauté the onion and garlic on medium high heat until golden, about five minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cumin, black pepper and cayenne (if using), and sauté another couple minutes.

Add the broth, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the lentils and carrot are soft, about 20-25 minutes.

(Both Melissa and Tea blend their soup at this stage. I don't have an immersion blender and was too lazy to take it out of the pot, put it in a mixer and then back into the pot, especially since lentils are natural mushy. I thought the soup was wonderful without puréeing it, but feel free to do so if you prefer.)

Add lemon juice and salt as desired (depending on the saltiness of your stock).

I served it topped with crème fraîche and chopped chives (the original recipe says cilantro, but I'm one of those people who doesn't do cilantro and I thought the chives were perfect).

I'm submitting this recipe to this week's Bookmarked Recipes, which is hosted by Ivy over at Kopiaste.


Here's how it works:

1. Pick a recipe from a book/magazine/blog/website/tv show and make it.
2. Blog about it
- include where you got the recipe in your blog post (including a link to their website if possible)
- include a link to this post or this blog in your blog post
- include the logo (see above) for Bookmarked Recipes in your blog post
- include a photo of your recreation on your blog post
3. Email both ivyliac@gmail.com and bookmarkedrecipes[AT]gmail[DOT]com, mentioning Bookmarked Recipes #48, with the following information:
- Your name
- The name of your blog
- The URL for your blog
- The permalink for your entry
- A photo of your entry
- A note of where you got your recipe from


Ivy has also given me this award, which I've been remiss in not posting post (sorry Ivy!).


The rules for this award say to:

Include the award logo in your blog or post.
Nominate as many blogs which show adorability, cuteness and charm.
Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

I'm sending this award along to:

Deeba at Passionate About Baking, because I was paired with her for the BloggerAid Best Friends event and I'm newly discovering her wonderful and charming blog. I'm looking forward to getting to know her (and then I can properly introduce her to you!).

Alex at Just Cook It, mostly because I'm sure he will fully appreciate the manliness of this award, especially since he's taken to posting some very manly pictures in his impressive (seriously though) Nose to Tail series.

Cicero Sings, because with all this puppy talk over on her blog these days, the adorable quotient is high!

And finally to Giz and Psychgrad at Equal Opportunity Kitchen (although I think Ivy awarded them as well), because their blog is charming (especially as the ideas for wedding cupcakes piles up) as well as being practical and delicious.