Brown Lentil Soup
Documenting even though it's simple, 'cause it turned out quite well!
Brown Lentil Soup
Two medium-large onions, chopped fairly small.
About 2/3 of a small bunch of celery (a bit more celery than onions), also chopped fairly small.
About a teaspoonish of olive oil, maybe two.
Toasted cumin seeds, maybe a teaspoon or two.
A few large pinches of dry thyme, crumbled.
Two quarts of vegetable broth.
A couple of pounds of brown lentils.
Several shakes of hot chile sauce.
Large can of crushed "fire roasted" tomatoes.
About two cloves' worth of garlic, minced. (I cheated and used bottled minced for this.)
About half a cup of dry vermouth.
Large pot of brown rice.
Sweat the onions and the celery in the olive oil. I didn't add salt because the broth (and probably tomatoes) were bound to have plenty. It might have been sensible to toast the cumin seeds in the pan first, but I forgot so toasted them in a separate pan and added later. Add everything else but the rice and simmer until the lentils are tender, adding water as necessary to get a nice thick stewish soup. Adjust seasoning if necessary after the lentils start getting tender; I like it to not be spicy but just warm. Eat over brown rice (or mix in the brown rice later.) Comfort food!
Brown Lentil Soup
Two medium-large onions, chopped fairly small.
About 2/3 of a small bunch of celery (a bit more celery than onions), also chopped fairly small.
About a teaspoonish of olive oil, maybe two.
Toasted cumin seeds, maybe a teaspoon or two.
A few large pinches of dry thyme, crumbled.
Two quarts of vegetable broth.
A couple of pounds of brown lentils.
Several shakes of hot chile sauce.
Large can of crushed "fire roasted" tomatoes.
About two cloves' worth of garlic, minced. (I cheated and used bottled minced for this.)
About half a cup of dry vermouth.
Large pot of brown rice.
Sweat the onions and the celery in the olive oil. I didn't add salt because the broth (and probably tomatoes) were bound to have plenty. It might have been sensible to toast the cumin seeds in the pan first, but I forgot so toasted them in a separate pan and added later. Add everything else but the rice and simmer until the lentils are tender, adding water as necessary to get a nice thick stewish soup. Adjust seasoning if necessary after the lentils start getting tender; I like it to not be spicy but just warm. Eat over brown rice (or mix in the brown rice later.) Comfort food!