Tomato lentil soup
It took a while to get to this recipe that I find very delicious and that I want to keep making again and again. And most importantly- the whole family loves it too!
Another thing- this soup is very healthy, filling and creamy in taste. You can make it very quickly and it has room for variation in the added spices, diversifying it every time you make it- one night you are in Italy and the next in India or even Mexico.
800 g tomatoes blanched, peeled, diced (can use canned or fresh)
150 g red or green lentils, soaked in water 20-30 min
1 medium carrot, cut in thin slices
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp curry
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp oregano
1 tbsp tomato paste
800 ml vegetable broth + water if necessary
2 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Optional: 2 handfuls of spinach or kale
1. Soak the lentils in water and in the meantime chop the onion and cut the carrot.
2. In a large pot heat the olive oil and on small heat sautée the onion until transparent, 5-7 min.
3. Add carrots, stir and on medium heat cook for 3 more minutes.
4. Add all the spices, garlic and once the garlic starts to become very fragrant, add the tomato paste and cook for a minute.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes.
6. Add a tbsp of sugar.
7. Add the lentils and broth, put on the lid and on medium heat simmer for 20-25 min until the lentils get soft but don’t become mushy.
8. Put ¼ of the soup in a blender and blend completely smooth, then add back to the pot.
9. Stir, taste, add salt and pepper. If desired, add a dash of lime or lemon juice to bring out the flavors.
10. Now add the spinach or kale, if you have chosen to.
11. Let the soup rest for 15 min before serving.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: onemilk
Trout soup
This is a quick fish soup, tastes best when made with fresh carrots, new potatoes and dill. It almost feels healing in a way- so eat this slowly to savor every spoonful.
For the broth
A whole fish bone with the head, approx 500-800 g
2 carrots, cut in 2 cm pieces
2 sticks of celery, cut in 2 cm pieces
1 onion, cut in 4 pieces
A handful of parsley
2 bay leaves
For the soup
1 small onion, chopped
300 g trout fillet, no skin, cut in 2 cm pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut in thin slices
4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut in 2-3 cm cubes
A handful of dill
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 150-200 g melted cheese
1. Make the broth. Thoroughly wash the fish bone and place it in a large pot, add all the veggies, parsley and bay leaves, pour over 1,5-2 l cold water and bring to boil. Remove the foam and let simmer for approximately 30 min.
2. Remove the fish bone and keep any fish meat (if there is any)
3. In a medium pot, cook the chopped onion in the olive oil until transparent.
4. Then lower the heat and cook the carrots a little bit, add the broth and potatoes and bring to boil. After 10 min add the trout fillet pieces, boil for 3-5 min,add the saved pieces from the broth (if you had any).
5. Taste and add salt and pepper, if you choose to- add the melted cheese.
6. Serve with chopped fresh dill.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ārija Avota
Tomato soup
We make this soup very often. When it is tomato season- I use fresh tomatoes, if it is off season, then canned tomatoes. And it tastes great in both versions.
I really enjoy the strong flavor of the tomato soup, so I rarely use the heavy cream. I use the saved calories to eat a chocolate fondant instead :)
When cooking this soup, the most important part is to balance the flavor- using brown sugar for sweetness, salt for saltiness and lime or balsamic vinegar for the sour.
800 g canned tomatoes, peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 large garlic cloves
½ chili with the seeds, chopped or ¼ tsp chili paste
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
1 handful fresh basil
500 ml vegetable broth
Salt, pepper, sugar to taste
4 tbsp olive oil
2 limes for serving
Optional: add 100-150 ml heavy cream and bring soup to boil, creating a cream soup
1. In a large double bottom pot heat some olive oil and on low heat sautée the chopped onions. Stir occasionally and check to see if the onion is slowly turning translucent instead of cooking golden brown.
2. After about 10 min add the garlic, pushed through a garlic press, chopped chili (or paste) and oregano, and sautée a bit more. Then stir in tomato paste and cook.
3. In a separate bowl blend the canned tomatoes (or in a blender) with the fresh basil. Then pour in the pot.
4. Add the vegetable broth and bring the soup to a boil. Then lower the heat and slowly let the soup cook for 5-10 min. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
5. If you want the soup to be smoother, use a hand blender to blend the soup right in the pot. This is when to add the heavy cream, if you choose to make a cream soup version.
6. Let the soup rest for 15 min.
7. Serve with a lime wedge and toasted bread or croutons.
! It is possible to drizzle a little olive oil, balsamico or pesto on the soup. You can add roasted seeds, crumbled blue cheese or even pieces of mozzarella.
Recipe: Ārija Avota
Photo: Ārija Avota