Because I enjoy cooking but definitely do not enjoy washing dishes (and believe me when I tell you that when I cook, I generate A LOT of dishes), I gravitate to making a lot of one pot meals using my trusty Dutch oven. Since the weather is getting colder in NYC, I can finally say soup season is officially here! But one can't live on just soup so what better than to cook something using minimal amount of cookware and producing a meal that hovers between watery broth and stew.
If you are looking for a soup that: 1) has substance, 2) can keep you full and 3) does not take hours to simmer, then this is the soup you will want to make. It doesn't even require any type of stock as a base! This foolproof soup recipe came form Season 14 of America's Test Kitchen and it is absolutely delicious!
There are layers of flavors in this hearty soup. It has rich, vegetal flavor due to a technique called sweating -- which is simply keeping the vegetables entirely pale by cooking them over low heat in a covered pot. It has a smoky flavor due to paprika, an earthy layer from the lentils, and a tartness from the sherry vinegar -- must I go on?
If you are looking for a soup that: 1) has substance, 2) can keep you full and 3) does not take hours to simmer, then this is the soup you will want to make. It doesn't even require any type of stock as a base! This foolproof soup recipe came form Season 14 of America's Test Kitchen and it is absolutely delicious!
There are layers of flavors in this hearty soup. It has rich, vegetal flavor due to a technique called sweating -- which is simply keeping the vegetables entirely pale by cooking them over low heat in a covered pot. It has a smoky flavor due to paprika, an earthy layer from the lentils, and a tartness from the sherry vinegar -- must I go on?
There are many types of lentils out there. The America's Test Kitchen suggests using green lentils for this recipe and I couldn't agree more. Green lentils keeps a firm texture after cooking so you won't end up with mushy soup (which will be the result if you use red lentils).
Soaking lentils before cooking reduces their cooking time but before we soak them, we should rinse them under cold water and pick out any debris or shriveled lentils.
Soaking lentils before cooking reduces their cooking time but before we soak them, we should rinse them under cold water and pick out any debris or shriveled lentils.
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If you have someone in your family, like my husband, who thinks protein should come from nothing but animals and beans will never fill a man up, then you will be pleasantly surprised at how filling, and delicious I must add, this soup can be.
Cook it, taste it, and please don't forget to share it with those whom you love...
Cook it, taste it, and please don't forget to share it with those whom you love...
More soups: Chicken, Barley and Mushroom Soup, and Pozole
Hearty Spanish-Style Lentil and Chorizo Soup
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Season 14
Hearty Spanish-Style Lentil and Chorizo Soup
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Season 14
Ingredients:
1 pound green lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 large onion
5 tablespoons extra-virigin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Spanish-style chorizo sausage, pricked with fork several times
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
7 cups water
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar can be substituted)
2 bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Place lentils and 2 teaspoons salt in heatproof container. Cover with 4 cups boiling water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.
Finely chop three-quarters of onion and grate remaining quarter. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Reduce heat to low and add chopped onion, carrots, 1 tablespoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft but not brown, 20 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown, add 1 tablespoon water to pot.
Add lentils and sherry vinegar to vegetables; increase heat to medium-high; and cook, stirring frequently, until vinegar starts to evaporate, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 7 cups water, chorizo, bay leaves, and cloves; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover; and cook until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in small sauce pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add paprika, grated onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute longer. Remove chorizo and bay leaves from lentils. You may skim away oil that has floated to the surface if you want. Stir paprika mixture into lentils and continue to cook until flavors have blended and coup has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. When chorizo is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Return chorizo to soup along with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
1 large onion
5 tablespoons extra-virigin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Spanish-style chorizo sausage, pricked with fork several times
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
7 cups water
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar can be substituted)
2 bay leaves
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Place lentils and 2 teaspoons salt in heatproof container. Cover with 4 cups boiling water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.
Finely chop three-quarters of onion and grate remaining quarter. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chorizo and cook until browned on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo to large plate. Reduce heat to low and add chopped onion, carrots, 1 tablespoon parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft but not brown, 20 minutes. If vegetables begin to brown, add 1 tablespoon water to pot.
Add lentils and sherry vinegar to vegetables; increase heat to medium-high; and cook, stirring frequently, until vinegar starts to evaporate, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 7 cups water, chorizo, bay leaves, and cloves; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover; and cook until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in small sauce pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add paprika, grated onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute longer. Remove chorizo and bay leaves from lentils. You may skim away oil that has floated to the surface if you want. Stir paprika mixture into lentils and continue to cook until flavors have blended and coup has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. When chorizo is cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Return chorizo to soup along with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
