Oh, Soup Divine!

So as you, my few faithful readers know, I am a lover of good food. And trying new recipes.

And although the Daddy would probably argue this to the death, I actually do LIKE to cook. And bake. And mix. And make. It's fun, and there's generally always a surprise in there somewhere. This is ME we're talking about.

So I like to cook. Just not all the time. And not anything that requires 42 steps to make. The less effort, the better. Easy is good. REALLY good.

The only exception to this rule is Thanksgiving dinner, and that only comes around once a year, so I can handle that.

But food and cooking are truly important to me. Some of the only blogs I follow with any regularity are food blogs. Much of the reading I do online has to do with recipes and ingredients. Something I always say: "Life is too short not to enjoy the food you love." And this is one of the core beliefs that I have about meals and sustenance. This belief, for better or worse, has also shaped a lot of the approach I have toward being a diabetic. (Surprise! I have the Big D. No, I don't talk about it much. Other than to my closest friends and family, who are probably sick of hearing about it. But yeah. That's a post for another time.)


So. Food. Tasty and easy. And healthy. Healthy is good, too. Which is a challenge at times, because I want to feed my family the best, most nutritious foods possible while at the same time ensuring that none of it tastes like dirt. Or charcoal. Or beans porridge in a pot, nine days old.

ANYWAY. Now that I've written my way halfway to China, let me tell you what this post is about.

You may have guessed already. Soup.

As the title implies.

But not just ANY soup. One of the more divine and inspired soups I've ever had the pleasure of consuming. Or inhaling, depending.

This soup is wow and wonderful. It makes your taste buds sing and cry with delight. I made it two days ago, and I already want more. 

I found the recipe for this soup through a meandering series of happy accidents that led me back to one of my more favorite cooking blogs, Orangette. I discovered Molly's blog a couple of years ago and along with this fabulous recipe for the most amazing Banana Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting that you will ever taste. To which I ALWAYS add more rum. LOTS MORE RUM. 


But I digress. 


So I find the recipe for this soup. Red lentil soup. Never heard of red lentils, but whatever. And it immediately appeals. The weather has gotten cooler, and we are in full-fledged autumn that is strongly hinting at a cold winter to come. It is soup season. And I LOVE to make soup, anyway. It's one of my favorite things to make. Because it's easy. And ever-so-tasty. 


But of course, being me, I couldn't make it EXACTLY like it was written. As my dear friend Heather of Gathering Spriggs says, "I like to think of recipes as loose guidelines to my creations."

So I took the recipe and tweaked it. And it is unbelievable. And I immediately wanted to share. So here you go! The link to the original soup is above, but here I will outline the way *I* make it. It's not hugely different, but there are a couple of things that I do that I think really make it stand out. 


Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Adapted from the recipe posted on Orangette, which was apparently adapted slightly from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark. We like to adapt.

4 Tbsp. olive oil, plus additional good oil for drizzling
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 - 2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed (I used 2 tbsp. pre-minced garlic in olive oil)
1 Tsp. garlic powder
3 - 4 Tbsp. spaghetti sauce
2 Tsp. ground cumin
1 Tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
1 Tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 Quarts chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups red lentils, picked through for stones and debris
2 Large carrots, peeled and diced
3 Stalks celery, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh pesto
2 Tbsp. - 1/4 Cup of heavy cream
Cilantro (This is optional for my version - I didn't have any, so I haven't used it, but I'll bet it would be fabulous!)

In a large pot, warm the oil and butter over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onions and garlic and cook until golden. Add in the chopped carrots and celery. Stir in the spices; cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook a few minutes longer. Add the broth, 2 - 4 cups of water and bring to a gentle boil. Then add the lentils. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue to cook until the lentils are soft. Add in the tomato sauce, pesto and heavy cream. Then add the lemon juice. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree the soup. It should still be smooth, but not completely smooth. Reheat if necessary, then stir in some cilantro, if desired. Serve the soup with a good crusty bread and a little dollop of sour cream, if desired, and dusted very lightly with cayenne.

Enjoy, and tell me it's not a culinary experience of epic proportions. I dare you. 


Oh November, I love your cold, blustery winds... If only because I can bundle up inside and cradle a warm bowl of red lentil soup between my hands.

OH. Soup divine!