Even though this lentil soup is made with just a handful of ingredients, its incredibly flavorful.
If you have a special bottle of olive oil, drizzle some on top of each bowl before serving.
If you cant find or dont like chard, kale or collards would be equally delicious.
Photo:Courtesy Photo
Excerpted with permission from Lebanese Cuisine by Madelain Farah and Leila Habib-Kirske, published by Hatherleigh Press.
Its what I callSoup Sunday.
A few weeks ago I was looking for soupspiration (thats a word, right?)
and decided to peruse my bookcase of cookbooks.
My eye landed on one that Ive had for decades,Lebanese Cuisineby Madelain Farah.
This cookbook has been a fixture in my home ever since I can remember.
My dads copy is plastered with his handwriting.
As the youngest (and a boy), my dad wasnt taught to cook.
He also wrote her ratio for making hummus on the inside back cover.
She attended school in Beirut before returning to the U.S. Farahs bio is kind of fascinating.
She spoke six languages.
She earned her Ph.D. in Middle East Studies.
She was a Fulbright scholar and Miss Lebanon-America.
And she wrote this cookbook to document her mothers recipes.
The first editions of the cookbook were not flashy.
And instead of photographs, black and white sketches were peppered throughout.
The new edition is new in so many ways.
Gone is the spiral binding.
There are color photos on the cover and throughout the book.
And everything looks delicious.
In my little family, we’re all die-hard lentil lovers.
Whenever weget home from vacation, I often makeInstant-Pot Mujadara.
Then a generous squeeze of lemon over each bowl brightens the flavor.
Her parents got divorced when she was younger, and Farah was a single working mom.
The recipe was inexpensive, quick and fed them for multiple meals.
Bring to a simmer over high heat.
Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 5 minutes.
Add potato and cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add water by the tablespoon and/or reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent burning.
Stir the onion and chard into the soup.
Cook until the potato is tender, about 5 minutes more.
Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and more pepper, if desired.
Serve with lemon wedges.
To make ahead
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
