lentil and barley soup

The soup season is well and truly upon us and this one is my favourite. The one I make again and again in various permutations. The one I almost never get tired of eating for lunch or dinner. Goes particularly well with some crackers or dried toastie things with brie, (even the cheap safeway one which can be quite nice close to or just past its useby date). I like this soup best with the pieces cut small and not pureed. The family like it semi pureed which I do with the bamix. G insists on having sauteed mushrooms on top, because well, a meal isn't a meal unless it contains mushrooms.
Anyway here it is, it goes without saying that quantities are a guide.

Ingredients
2 stalks of celery
1 brown onion
1 medium carrot
several good big strong cloves of garlic
1 cup brown lentils (no need for soaking)
1/2 cup of pearl barley
1 tin of diced italian tomatoes
a good handful of herbs from the garden if you have them, mostly parsley with some smaller amounts of thyme, rosemary, sage and some oregano
2lt of water
To make
Finely dice the celery, carrot, onion and garlic. Saute in your soup pot with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Add the tomatoes, lentils, barley, water and half the herbs (if you have them) tied in a bouquet garni. Chop the rest of the herbs finely and set aside. Cook for about half an hour or until the barley is tender. Remove the bouquet garni, add the chopped herbs. Blend with the bamix if a blended soup is your preference (it does disguise the green vegetable factor - which in our house is a plus). Taste for seasoning and serve.

Red lentil, tomato and sweet potato soup

This would have to be my second favourite soup. After lentil and barley with herbs from the garden. I developed this based on something I had at a friend's house back when I had the cafe. A reliable seller at lunch, it was a bit fancier then, with coconut milk and coriander (powder and fresh as as garnish). These days I tend to do a simple version, although sometimes I add coriander, cummin and a touch of chilli. A couple of weeks ago though I had a beetroot from the garden already washed and peeled in the fridge. I chopped it up and threw it in. Extra sweetness and an earthy undertone. And the best colour. Really, really good.

Ingredients

a medium sweet potato (peeled and sliced)
a tin of Italian chopped tomatoes
a big onion
garlic (I use about half a head if it isn't that strong, but we like garlic here)
grated ginger (about a teaspoon or two, enough to give a zing without being overpowering)
a cup or so of red lentils
a big old beetroot (optional but really good, peeled and diced)

To make

1. Roughly chop the onions and garlic. Saute with the ginger in some olive oil with a pinch of salt. This would be the point when I would also add powdered coriander or cumin if I was using them.
2. Add the tomatoes and saute briefly.
3. Add about a litre and a half of water, the red lentils, the sweet potato and the beetroot.
4. Cook at a slow roll until everything is good and tender. Blend with the bamix. Check for salt, although I find if you add some at the beginning it tends not to need any at the end but everyone is different with their salt.

And there you have it. Ridiculously easy and very nice for lunch or dinner.

Spinach Soup

We used to serve this recipe at the cafe alot in the early days. It's adapted from Still life with Menu by Mollie Katzen. Eventually, after a long time, people got tired of it and we served other soups. I have fond memories of making huge pots of bright green soup and the daunting task of destalking that much spinach. This quantity is quite easy.


You will need


bunch of spinach
2large potatoes
2 large onions
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of tumeric
dash oc cinnamon
dash of cayene pepper
1 cup of yoghurt
3cups of water
chopped coriander leaves and/or sesame seeds to garnish

To make

1. Wash and destalk the spinach, chop roughly. Slice the potatoes.



2. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and gently fry in olive oil with a sprinkling of salt. Add the cumin and turmeric & cook a little longer.



3. Add the water and potatoes to the pot. Bring to the boil and simmer until potatoes are done.



4. Add the spinach and cook briefly until spinach has wilted. (Don't overcook or you will loose the lovely green colour, not to mention all the vitamins).



5. Add yogurt, dash of cayenne and/or black pepper. Blend with bamix or food processor.



6. Taste for seasoning, add salt and/or pepper if necessary. 



7. Serve and garnish.