Nothing says autumn like the sound of sniffly noses,
hacking coughs and snot-shooting sneezes. Well, they do! So do roasted apples
and pumpkin lattes, chanterelle mushrooms and Brussels sprout stalks. But when
you feel as crappy as I have the last week (see aforementioned sounds), when
you are so sick that you cannot brave the hail and the thunder and sideways
rain to get to the store to ‘ooh and ahh’ at the season’s latest offerings, you
make soup.
Which is exactly what I proceeded to do yesterday.
Opening the produce drawer in my refrigerator didn’t elicit any immediate
inspiration….an old cabbage quarter, someone’s forgotten lunch, some picked
over pomegranates from a photo shoot at work….so I started rummaging through
the cupboards…brown lentils... pomegranate molasses! I was onto something:
lentil and vegetable stew with pomegranates.
I could taste the sweet-tart molasses and rich olive oil
even through my sniffles. I could feel the crunch of the cold pomegranates and
the toothsome hot lentils, even though my tonsils were the size of gerbils in
the back of my throat. It felt like fall.
Lentil Stew with
Pomegranate
This stew can be made vegetarian/vegan by using water or vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups chopped green or red cabbage
½ cup chopped carrot
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
½ cup lentils
32 ounces chicken stock
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
¼ cup pomegranate arils
Sweat the
vegetables. Heat a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the olive oil,
cabbage, carrot, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes,
until the vegetables are translucent.
Simmer the soup. Add
the lentils and chicken stock and simmer for 25 minutes, until the lentils are
tender.
Garnish and serve.
Stir the pomegranate molasses into the soup and taste for seasoning,
adjusting if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with the extra
virgin olive oil (if using) and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and
pomegranate arils. Serve immediately. Store any ungarnished soup for up to 5
days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Randomly bought a pomegranate today, and I'm totally going to make this tonight! It looks delicious :D
ReplyDeleteWhat an intriguing take on lentil soup, Emily. I love all the goodness you stuffed into the stew and the pom is a nice touch. Interesting indeed...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing. I'll be saving this one!!!
P.S. Just in case the week slips away from me, Wishing you and yours a Thanksgiving filled with yummy stuffing and Love...Louise:)