Best Smoky Red Lentil Soup With Cheddar Toasts Recipes

Smoky Red-Lentil Soup with Cheddar Toasts image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 bacon slices, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion (1 large)
2 large carrots, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup red lentils (7 oz)
1 qt water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
6 (1-inch-thick) baguette slices, cut on a long diagonal
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 lb extra-sharp Cheddar, cut into 12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices

Steps:

Cook bacon in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot (if your bacon renders less fat, add enough olive oil to bring total to 2 tablespoons), then add onion and carrots to bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, covered, until lentils are very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
Preheat broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet or broiler pan and spread top of each slice with butter. Broil slices 6 inches from heat until pale golden, about 1 minute. Spread buttered sides with a thin layer of mustard, then top each toast with 2 slices of cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 1 minute.
Serve soup with Cheddar toasts.

Red Lentil Soup with Smoked Paprika image

Yield serves 8 generously, with leftovers

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 tablespoons expeller-pressed vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 small celery stalk, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons hot or sweet smoked paprika, or a combination, to taste
2 teaspoons sweet (unsmoked) paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup dry white wine
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 cups red lentils
Large pinch (about 15 threads) of saffron
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Yogurt or crème fraîche (page 224), for serving
Leaves of fresh tender herbs, such as cilantro or dill, for serving

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, and add the onion, celery, carrots, and bell pepper. Reduce the heat, season with salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until wilted and starting to color. Add both paprikas and the cumin, and briefly toast until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and once it has bubbled away, add the tomatoes, season again with salt, and stir well. Cook until most of the tomato juices have reduced, about 3 minutes.
Add the lentils, 2 1/2 quarts water, the saffron, and the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the lentils are completely tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Give the soup a few pulses with an immersion blender to create a creamy but still chunky texture. Add the lemon juice and check the seasoning. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and herb leaves.