RECIPE: Red Lentil Soup (from Home Made Basics by Yvette van Boven)
I have various ways of making this hearty soup. I love the smoky, fatty flavor of chorizo, but I eat so little meat that I sometimes also simply replace it with, say, feta or goat cheese. So just use this recipe as a base. I’ll offer further suggestions for toppings below. Pick one from each list for the right balance.
Prepare: 15 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra
7 ounces (200 g) Spanish-style cured chorizo, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra
2 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8. ounces (250 g) red lentils
1 (14.-ounce/411 g) can whole peeled tomatoes, the tomatoes squeezed
4. cups (1 L) vegetable or chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (120 ml) yogurt
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Fry the chorizo pieces until crispy. Remove the chorizo slices from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
Sauté the onion, carrot cubes, and cumin in the same pan for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the smoked paprika and honey and deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine vinegar.
Stir in the red lentils and pour the squeezed tomatoes and stock into the pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook the lentil soup, partly covered with a lid, for 30 minutes over low heat. Occasionally check whether the lentils are done, or if necessary, cook them a little longer. Add a splash of water if the soup gets too thick.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smoother, but not completely smooth. Some individual lentils should still be visible. Taste the soup and decide whether to add salt and pepper.
Serve the soup in large bowls, each topped with 2 tablespoons yogurt and sprinkled with the fried chorizo. Drizzle the soup with a little olive oil and sprinkle with more paprika.
CRUNCHY
Croutons, baked in butter with anchovies or sea salt
Seeds, popped: like whole buckwheat or pumpkin seeds
Bacon cubes, fried
Nuts, crispy fried (in butter/ olive oil), possibly with spices and/or garlic
Tortilla chips, crumbled
Crispy fried onions
CREAMY
Double cream
Crème fraîche
Quark cheese or yogurt, stirred
Cashew cream
Coconut milk
Cheese, any kind of grated or crumbled
Olive oil or pesto
Avocado, cubed
Egg, hard-boiled or poached
ZESTY
Fresh herbs, finely chopped
Onion, chopped and briefly pickled in vinegar
Watercress or sprouts
Scallions, cut into rings
Celery, or other raw vegetables, cut into very small cubes
Apple or pear, cut into small cubes
Jalapeño, fresh or preserved (from a jar), finely chopped
From acclaimed cookbook author and illustrator Yvette van Boven, a comprehensive kitchen resource for making hundreds of simple dishes from scratch
In her latest cookbook, Yvette van Boven shares step-by-step explanations for the foundational dishes that can transform how you cook and what you eat at home. Accompanied by her signature illustrations and beautiful photography, van Boven offers more than 400 recipes for delightful dishes that tell you how to make everything: simple dressings, vegetables, pastas, gnocchi, tortillas, perfectly poached eggs, and much more. Whether you're new to cooking or an experienced home chef, this cookbook teaches you to make satisfying food without a lot of fuss or complicated ingredients. In her unique and friendly voice, the author guides you through every step of cooking simple, well-made everyday meals.
A staple for everyone who loves to cook at home, Home Made Basics offers fresh, healthy, and original meals you'll want to make all year round.
For more information, click here.
