Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

This soup takes little more than half an hour to make.  It’s warm and comforting, and redolent with curry, cumin, and cayenne pepper.  Amazing flavor, with just a hint of lemon, and all the healthy goodness that comes along with lentils, the super food of the legume family.  

Low on the glycemic index as well as in fat, but high in protein, iron, and folate, lentils are your best friend.  They won't let you down--they're the Ed Norton/Ethel Mertz of the food world. Look:

nutritional value in 1/4 cup red lentils

So so SO SO good…really really good…even better than good.  Try it for yourself and see :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

2 large carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced (more for garnish)

1 small onion, diced

2 cups red lentils

7 ounces whole kernel corn (I buy one 15-oz can and use half)

3 large garlic cloves or 5 small ones, peeled and minced

8 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth if you want to be vegetarian)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

1 lemon (more for garnish)

olive oil

kosher salt/cracked black pepper

blender (I use an immersion blender)

lemon zester

NOTE:  garnish = lemon wedges, diced celery and celery leaves

Drizzle oil in large dutch oven and saute onion, carrots, and celery over med-high heat until soft (approx 10 minutes).  Sprinkle salt on them, then add garlic.  Saute for a few seconds and add chicken broth, lentils, corn, and spices.

Stir and simmer for a few minutes to mix the flavors.  Cover, and simmer approx 25 minutes on med-low. 

Take off heat.

Using your immersion/hand blender, puree the soup slightly.  I like it to have some consistency.  

pureed soup

Add the juice and zest of one lemon, and salt/pepper to taste.  Stir.

I serve sprinkled with cracked black pepper, diced celery on top for crunch (celery leaves too!), and a lemon wedge on the side.