Greek Lentil & Greens Soup with Lemon
Mashup based off two different soups from:
Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread: A Country Inn Cookbook
by Crescent Dragonwagon
Greek Lentil & Greens Soup with Lemon
For a veggie version, omit kielbasa and use water or veggie stock.
cooking spray
1 pound lentils, washed and picked over
10 cups well-flavored vegetable (or chicken) stock (or water)
1-1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds (crush slightly)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 small potatoes, scrubbed & diced (optional)
2 carrots, scrubbed & diced
1 bunch collard or mustard greens, stems removed, chopped
1 turkey kielbasa sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
salt to taste
2-4 lemons, juiced (or more to taste)
paper thin slices of lemon for garnish
1. Spray a large heavy soup pot with cooking spray, & in it combine the lentils, stock or water, cumin seeds, oregano, basil, thyme, & bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then turn down to very low to simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, carrots, greens, and kielbasa, and cover again and let simmer while you do the next step.
3. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until it starts to soften ~ 3 minutes. Add celery and garlic, saute another 3 minutes, stirring often. Add saute to soup; deglaze the pan with a little soup liquid and add pan contents to the pot. Add salt and taste for seasoning.
4. Just before serving (lentils must be fully cooked, first) add lemon juice. Stir well, and taste again. Serve hot with a lemon slice floating on top of each bowl of soup.
Serves 4-6 as an entree, with a hearty salad (like a Greek) and good, crusty bread.
Greek Lentil & Greens Soup with Lemon
For a veggie version, omit kielbasa and use water or veggie stock.
cooking spray
1 pound lentils, washed and picked over
10 cups well-flavored vegetable (or chicken) stock (or water)
1-1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds (crush slightly)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 small potatoes, scrubbed & diced (optional)
2 carrots, scrubbed & diced
1 bunch collard or mustard greens, stems removed, chopped
1 turkey kielbasa sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery with leaves, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
salt to taste
2-4 lemons, juiced (or more to taste)
paper thin slices of lemon for garnish
1. Spray a large heavy soup pot with cooking spray, & in it combine the lentils, stock or water, cumin seeds, oregano, basil, thyme, & bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then turn down to very low to simmer, partially covered, about 30 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, carrots, greens, and kielbasa, and cover again and let simmer while you do the next step.
3. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until it starts to soften ~ 3 minutes. Add celery and garlic, saute another 3 minutes, stirring often. Add saute to soup; deglaze the pan with a little soup liquid and add pan contents to the pot. Add salt and taste for seasoning.
4. Just before serving (lentils must be fully cooked, first) add lemon juice. Stir well, and taste again. Serve hot with a lemon slice floating on top of each bowl of soup.
Serves 4-6 as an entree, with a hearty salad (like a Greek) and good, crusty bread.
