Lentil Soup

Preparation

1. Step 013 min

   Tip the lentils onto a plate or tray and look through them for small stones or debris. Rinse them in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain. No soaking is needed for brown lentils.

2. Step 0210 min

   Heat 45 g olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery (no salt yet) and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.

3. Step 033 min

   Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, cumin and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and smells rich. Lower the heat if anything sticks.

4. Step 048 min

   Add the drained lentils, bay leaf and 1400 g water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then skim off any foam from the surface with a spoon.

5. Step 0530 min

   Reduce the heat to low so the soup simmers gently at about 95 C (203 F), with small steady bubbles. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and cook, stirring now and then, until the lentils are completely tender and mash easily against the side of the pot, about 25 to 30 minutes. Older lentils can take 10 minutes longer. Add a splash of hot water if the soup becomes too thick.

6. Step 064 min

   Remove the bay leaf. Stir in 3 g of the salt and the black pepper. Blend roughly one third of the soup: either pulse briefly with an immersion blender directly in the pot, leaving plenty of whole lentils, or ladle out about 2 cups and blend in a countertop blender. If using a countertop blender, fill it no more than half, vent the lid and hold it down with a folded towel because hot liquid expands, then stir the puree back into the pot.

7. Step 073 min

   Cut the lemon in half and squeeze both halves. Stir about 20 g of the juice into the soup and taste. Add the remaining 1 g salt, then more in small pinches if needed, and a little more lemon if you like, until the soup tastes well seasoned and bright. The soup should be thick but pourable; stir in a little hot water if it is too thick. Keep the rest of the juice (about 20 g) for the table and keep the soup hot over very low heat.

8. Step 082 min

   In a small saucepan, warm 15 g olive oil over low heat for about 30 seconds, add the Aleppo pepper or pepper flakes, and swirl for 20 to 30 seconds until the oil turns red and smells toasty. Remove from the heat immediately so the flakes do not burn.

9. Step 09

   Ladle the soup into bowls, spoon over the chili oil, scatter with chopped parsley and serve hot, passing the remaining lemon juice at the table.