Cookie 'n Kate Best Lentil Soup

I pretty much switched to cooking with red lentils because the soups come out so pretty. This is a good straightforward green/brown lentil soup.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
1 to 2 T lemon juice (1/2 to 1 medium lemon), to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.

Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.

Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.

Use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup to thicken, but don't obliterate the chopped ingredients!

Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 T of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.

Becca's Beloved Fried Chickpeas

Here's a flexible, easy prep from Bon Appetit. Becca makes it often. It's very flexible. I just paired it w chopped fresh snap-peas instead of herbs.

2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed (I don't bother to dry them)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
⅓ cup olive oil
salt, freshly ground pepper (other recipes have a wide variety of spicing)
2½ cups chopped mixed tender herbs (such as parsley, cilantro, chives, and/or basil)

Place chickpeas in a large skillet or Dutch oven and add garlic and oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are crisped and some have split open (these will be the most delicious ones), 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs.

Sweet Potato Peanut Chickpea Soup

West African Peanut Soup - for a one dish light dinner. Gorgeous color, and lots of superfoods (greens, sweet potato, chickpeas).

This recipe is from the Love Real Food cookbook by Kathryne Taylor of Cookie + Kate - this blogger made some small adjustments to the ingredients and instructions, and so did I.

Here are some endorsements from the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. We sent a few items left behind to Nomi and Micah via Lyft, and included a quart of this elixir.

1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-large sweet potato (mine was about 3/4-lb.), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed; finely chopped
salt
2 T fresh grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 T)
5 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
1/4 cups water
3/4 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter*
6 oz tomato paste
1 medium bunch of lacinato (dino) kale**, ribs removed & leaves chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups packed)
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1/2-1 T Sriracha or other hot sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Garnishes:
1/2 cup roughly chopped peanuts
1 handful of chopped fresh cilantro or other herbs (I used leftover parsley)

In a dutch oven or very large pot, warm 2 T of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potato, jalapeño and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the sweet potatoes are beginning to soften - 10-15 mins. (If the onions are starting to brown, you can turn the heat down a bit).

Add the grated ginger, garlic and 1 tsp of salt, and the 5 c of broth. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 min or until fragrant.

Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer (beginning to bubble - this may take a while). Once simmering, cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Use an immersion blender at this point if you want a smoother soup.

Meanwhile, take 1/4 c hot water in a 2 c. measuring cup, and dump peanut butter until it registers 1 c. Combine with the tomato paste. Mix until smooth, and then pour into the soup and mix well.

Continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, or until the soup has thickened.

Add the chickpeas and chopped greens, and continue cooking for another 5-10 mins. Add Sriracha to taste. You can also add a bit more salt to taste. Serve topped with chopped peanuts and herbs.


**I really like how lacinato/dino kale holds up in this and other soups, but regular curly kale or collard greens work, too.


West African Peanut Soup https://chefshiv.com/west-african-peanut-soup/

Eggplant Parmesan: Work in Progress

Eggplant parmesan is Becca's absolute fave.
The nuisance of making it is peeling and then breading and frying or baking the slices.
For awhile Trader Joe's had a peeled, breaded eggplant cutlet produce but alas, it's discontinued. I found a new brand, Maccabee, that is breaded and fried. Others in the freezer section are not peeled, which is a disqualifier, in my book.

Tried this: one large eggplant, sliced in 3/8" slices. 2 eggs, bread crumbs as needed. Dip in eggs, spread with bread crumbs, and bake on tins in a 425-450 oven til brown. Longer than you think it will take, 10 minutes or so a side.

Then, assemble with the mozzarella, marinara, and parmesan. Bake about 20 minutes.