Spiced lentil soup

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
3 tablespoons Olive oil
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter
1 Onion, chopped
2 Carrots, diced
2 Ribs celery, diced
1 Green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 small \"waxy\" boiling potato, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Ground pure chili powder
¾ teaspoon Ground allspice
1 small Imported bay leaf and 5 sprigs parsley
Tied together with kitchen string
½ pounds Lentils, picked over
6 cups Chicken broth
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper

Directions

Place the olive oil, butter, and onion in a soup kettle, set over low heat and cook until the onion has softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, add the carrots and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the celery and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the green pepper and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the diced potato, cumin, chili powder, and allspice; stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the herb bundle, lentils, and chicken broth; bring to a boil, then boil for 1 minute. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender. The soup may be prepared in advance up to this point.) Season the soup with salt and fresh pepper to taste and discard the parsley-bay leaf bundle. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve steaming hot.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

[WASHINGTON POST JAN 11, 1989] Posted by Fred Peters.

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