Lemony Lentil Soup with Cilantro

After a delightful (but exhausting) visit from some of our family and friends for Christmas and then for New Years Eve, Alex and I are looking forward to eating our first meal at home in some time.  When we were trying to figure out what to make, we both knew that whatever we made had to be simple and super easy.  Alex requested a one pot meal, so we decided to go with soup.  Granted, some soups can be super complicated and can require multiple pots and pans.  But we decided to go with a lentil soup that looked pretty quick, easy and light.  I've never had a lentil soup before, so this should be an interesting experiment, but I have faith that it will turn out nicely.  And to be perfectly honest, I'm not certain that I will be all that upset, even if it doesn't turn out.  In the past 2 weeks we have had some phenomenal meals - Yakitori Totto, Cascabel Taqueria, Eataly, Otto, Soba Nippon, etc.  I'm not saying that I think we need to go on a cleanse, but some simple lentil soup and a few salads for the next few weeks couldn't hurt.

So I will be the first to admit that this wasn't the most exciting dish that we have ever made.  Nor was it the prettiest.  But it was exactly what we both wanted and/or needed this evening.  The soup was light enough that it helped balance out the past two weeks of crazy eating, but hearty enough to be totally satisfying on a cool, drizzly winter night.  You could taste the lemon juice, the evoo, and a bit of sweetness from the onions.  But the flavors were very subtle and mellow, rather than in your face.  It was perfect.  Definitely toast a baguette or some other bread to dip into the soup because this soup is perfect for dipping.  Here's to some delicious home-cooked meals in 2011!

Recipe after the jump!

Lemony Lentil Soup with Cilantro

Adapted from Gourmet

May 2005

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

7 tablespoons olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed

3 1/2 cups chicken stock

3 cups water

2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Puree cilantro with 5 tbsp evoo and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mini prep or blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and set mini prep or blender aside.

Cook onion in remaining evoo in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add allspice and remaining salt and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add lentils, broth, and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are very soft, about 40 minutes. Transfer 2 cup lentils with some of broth to mini prep or blender and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), then return to saucepan. Add lemon juice and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro puree. 

Serve with warm baguette.