Apricot Lentil Soup With Eggplant Recipes

Steps:

• Combine lentils and 8 cups water and bring to a boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
• Add apricots. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• In a separate pan, saute onion in olive oil until light brown. Add eggplant and 4 tablespoons water, to prevent sticking. Cook for 10 minutes or until eggplant is tender, stirring frequently.
• Add tomatoes, bell peppers, cinnamon, allspice, red pepper, paprika and salt. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add tomato mixture to lentils and simmer, covered for 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Saute onion, garlic, and apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, and season with cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice. Puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Serve.

Steps:

• If using dried apricots, at least 40 minutes before cooking, cut them into quarters, soak in warm water to cover, then drain and set aside. (This can be done up to a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before using.)
• Warm the oil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn golden at the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring frequently.
• Pour 5 cups of the vegetable broth into the pot, scraping any stuck-on bits from the bottom, and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the lentils are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in 1 more cup of broth if the soup is too thick, then add the carrots, apricots and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and season with pepper to taste. Increase the heat to bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered and stirring once or twice, for 10 minutes, or until the carrots are as cooked as you'd like.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then taste. If it's not sour enough, add a little more, and adjust for salt and pepper.
• Ladle into bowls and serve warm, with pomegranate syrup drizzled over the top.

Steps:

• Prick the skin of the eggplants, and roast in an oven at 180°C until soft.
• Remove the flesh from the eggplants and roughly chop.
• In a heavy based pan, sweat (cook gently) the onions and garlic in olive oil.
• Add the spice mix, tomato, eggplant, and half of the coriander and basil.
• Sweat for a few minutes to release the flavours.
• Add the lentils and potatoes cover with water.
• Bring to a simmer, and remove any scum, which rises to the surface.
• Simmer until lentils and potatoes are tender (approx 20 - 30 minutes).
• Finish by seasoning, and stirring through the lemon juice, and remaining herbs.
• To serve, garnish with some fresh coriander and lemon juice.
• Spice mix:
• Lightly toast spices in a hot dry frypan until they crackle and become fragrant. (Be careful not to burn them).
• Grind mixture in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the eggplant quarters on a rimmed baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 30 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover the lentils with 2 inches of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 sage leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils in a colander and discard the sage leaves. 3. Scrape the eggplant flesh into a blender; discard the skin. Add 1 cup of the stock and puree until smooth; transfer to a clean saucepan. Add the lentils and the remaining 1 cup of stock to the blender and puree until smooth. Add the lentil puree to the eggplant puree in the saucepan. 4. Stir the milk and lemon juice into the soup and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; keep the soup hot over low heat, stirring occasionally. 5. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining 12 sage leaves and cook over moderate heat until crisp, about 30 seconds per side. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the fried sage leaves and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oil in soup pot over medium low heat. Add onion and garlic; saute till onion is just turning translucent and golden.
• Add apricots and cook, stirring constantly (do not let them burn!) till softened and shiny and just beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add cumin, nutmeg, oregano, and thyme and cook, stirring, a minute or so (until spices are evenly distributed and fragrant).
• Add stock, tomatoes, and lentils; stir till well combined. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and simmer for 40 minutes (till lentils are very tender).
• Just before serving, puree soup (an immersion blender works best). Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprig of thyme, if desired.

Steps:

• In a large deep saucepan, combine the lentils, onion, tomatoes with their liquid, apricots, ginger, garlic, garam masala and turmeric. Add four cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Mix in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in the cumin and cook, stirring, until the oil is bubbling and the seeds start to darken in color, about two minutes. Immediately, off the heat, mix in the pomegranate molasses or juice concentrate. Take care, as it will splatter.
• Divide the soup among four deep soup bowls. Drizzle on the cumin mixture and serve.