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A soup variation I made up yesterday with roasted garlic and miso it is very tasty and easy to make. It is a blend and my own twist on recipes from two old cook books that I bought at a used book store. This one; all the recipes are very bland, but the basic recipes are a good starting point and I usually add things to give it more flavor. And this one, an all purpose potato book - with fascinating potato history and all, I didn't think I'd love it (and use it) as much as I do.
The recipe: (and it's vegan - well use miso or veggie stock)
6 cups water ( if using miso - 3tbsp of miso, if not use 6c. veggie stock or chicken stock)
1 cup lentils (red or brown)
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 onion - diced
1 red pepper - diced
2 carrots - diced
a handful of corn frozen (i didn't measure it)
any other veggie of your choice - diced
3 small yukon gold potatoes
1 full bulb of garlic
1. Pre heat the oven to 375 f. Place the bulb of garlic in a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes.
2. Clean, peel (I leave a little skin on) and dice the potatoes. Par boil them in enough water to cover for about 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain set aside.
3. Meanwhile bring the water (or stock) to a boil add the lentils and potatoes and bring to a heavy simmer, simmer for about 5-8 minutes until lentils are tender and the potatoes are cooked through. (oh yeah, before you add the lentils, always check for tiny pebbles - I always mange to find one)
3. While the lentils are cooking. Heat the oil (2 tbsp was just an estimate, use your judgment and a little extra helps flavor the soup). Saute the diced vegetables over medium heat until soft and the onions are a little brown.
4. Add the vegetables to the soup. Keep at a low simmer.
5. Remove the roasted garlic from the oven. Cut off about 1/2 inch off the top and squeeze out the roasted cloves onto a cutting board or bowl. Mash them up and then add to the soup.
6. If you are using miso, in a small bowl mix the miso with a small amount of hot broth (from the soup) with a spoon or wisk until blended. Add to the soup and mix. Do not bring the soup to a boil after you have added the miso.
7. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve with a slice of crusty bread at the bottom. This bread is particularly wonderful - I think it has a hint of apple cider vinegar in it - whatever it its, it makes this soup a whole lot better and adds a nice sweet flavor to the soup. It is local to W. Mass, but any local bread is great too!
If you don't like soup with whole vegetables you can always puree in a blender, food processor, or with a stick blender. (or half of it if you like a few veggies). For a thicker soup - add more lentils.
Enjoy my friends!
