Red Lentil Soup With Lemon

Yield: 4 servings
Time: 45 minutes

Fabulous, serve with the best bread you can find.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
• 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1 lemon, more to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
4. Using an immersion (or regular blender or a food processor), purée the soup.
5. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

Recipe source: Derived from recipe printed in New York Times, January 9, 2008