Daily Vegan Lunch for 12 April, 2013: Red Lentil Soup with Lemon and Garlic

I’m always on the lookout for new ways to cook red lentils. This one was nice. Lemon juice adds a nice fresh, happy, bright taste.

This is a very slightly modified recipe from the Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking by Tony Bishop-Weston, a great recipe book I found in the discount section of Borders when it was still open.

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups)

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 potato, stabbed with fork and pre-cooked in microwave 4-6 minutes depending on size of potato

1 cup red lentils

4 cups vegetable broth

Juice of one lemon

2 teaspoons cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in pan on medium heat and cook onion, celery, carrots, until onions are transparent and carrots slightly soft. Add the lentils and broth and turn heat to high. Once it boils, take the heat down to medium again and allow it to simmer 30 minutes. Add garlic and cumin, cook for five minutes more.

Pour the soup into a food processor or blender. Add the lemon juice. Taste test and add salt if needed. Process until soup is a smooth puree. Makes about 4 servings.