by Sally
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2 tablespoons olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 onion, finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
2 teaspoons ground cumin Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon dried thyme Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon ground coriander Ask a question about this ingredient
4 teaspoons salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
2 stalks celery, cut in small dice Ask a question about this ingredient
2 carrots, cut in small dice Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup green lentils Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup red lentils Ask a question about this ingredient
1 cup yellow split peas Ask a question about this ingredient
1 bunch Swiss chard (Ruby or green) Ask a question about this ingredient
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice Ask a question about this ingredient
2 to 3 rounds of pita bread Ask a question about this ingredient
In a large (6 quart) pot, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the garlic, onions, cumin, thyme, coriander, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the lentils and the 12 cups of water and simmer for 45 minutes.
Ask a question about this stepMeanwhile, separate the chard stems from the leaves: stack the chard and slice along either side of the stems. Cut across the stems to make 3/8-inch wide slices. Add the stems to the soup and cook for 10 more minutes.
Ask a question about this stepStack the leaves and cut them in 1-inch ribbons. Add them to the soup with the lemon zest and juice. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the leaves are wilted. Taste and add more salt if needed. Crumble some toasted pita on top of each soup bowl for garnish.
Ask a question about this stepThis makes a big batch of soup. I am going to freeze 1/2 for later. I sub'd Costco's gourmet bean blend for the lentils (it contains beans, peas and lentils). I had to soak the beans for 4 hrs and increase the cooking time to 90 minutes. It turned out great. 12 cups of water was the perfect amount given the increased cooking time.
Yum! Great versatile recipe. Used what I had.... leeks, spinach, barley instead of split peas, some homemade broth and some poached chicken that needed to be used...some chili flakes and parsley. Tossed the whole thing over toasted croutons and topped with cheese...wonderful dinner and seductive lunch I will probably eat before 10:30 tomorrow. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks DRBABS for the feedback. I revisited this recently (before I read your comments) and didn't have a problem with it being watery, but to be on the safe side, you probably ought to cut back to 8 cups of water to start with. It thickens A LOT as it sits--so the next day it is very thick. In fact, even with 12 cups of water, I needed to thin it a little more once it had been in the fridge overnight. If my family wants a little meat, I sometimes add some cooked chicken sausage (Spinach and feta sausages from whole foods) and maybe even a garnish of feta cheese.
Sounds delicious. Would love to try this. I have some red chard sitting in my refrigerator right now, and have been contemplating what to make with it. And it's raining today! Thanks for the recipe.
Ken is an award-winning executive chef and owner of seven Boston area restaurants: Clio, Toro, Uni, Coppa, KO Prime, La Verdad and Earth.
Thanks drbabs for suggesting using less water, it definitely kept it at a thicker more hearty consistency. I tweaked the recipe by adding 1 teaspoon of pimenton de la vera (essentially spanish smoked paprika) and let me tell you, that really made the flavors more intensely delicious! The lemon is definitely a necessary touch. I definitely see myself trying this out again using different ingredients. I'm already thinking about how I'll use kale instead of swiss chard. Thanks for a great recipe!