Saturday, August 6, 2011

Spicy Lentil Soup

I loved the combination of flavors in this soup. And it was beautifully autumnal. I wasn't entirely expecting it, so it was a nice little surprise when it started to give off the gorgeous aroma during the simmering process. Yum.

I have never used anchovies before, and while I liked the depth of flavor it gave the dish, I'm definitely going to be looking for the resealable paste tubes next time. I had no idea what to do with the leftover anchovies in the tin, so I tossed them. Did I panic? Probably. But I wasn't willing to risk stinking up my fridge and kind of knew I was probably never going to use them but would probably end up just buying the paste or another tin.

Oh, and I'm refusing to call this a "stoup" because I think that label is dumb. Sorry, Rachael.

Spicy Lentil Soup
Courtesy of Rachael Ray


Photobucket

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 canned anchovy fillets
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into cubes
1 large baking potato, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika or ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
Two 32-ounce containers (2 quarts) chicken broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 4 cups)
Crusty bread or rolls, for serving


In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Stir in the anchovies until melted, then add the pancetta and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potato, carrots, onion and garlic. Season with the rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, paprika, crushed red pepper, allspice and salt and black pepper to taste; cook until the vegetables are softened, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir in the kale and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Serve the soup with the crusty bread.

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