Red Lentil and Carrot Soup With Frazzled Onions
Even though Valentine's Day is over (and I'm already seeing Easter stuff at the stores - stop already!), I still wanted to do something with red foods this month for my Secret Recipe Club assignment.
This month, I was assigned Karen @ Lavender & Lovage and it might be an overused word but Karen's blog is truly lovely. Karen is a seasoned food writer and blogger, originally from South Africa and now living in North Yorkshire, England. She also spends a fair amount of time in Southwest France (swoon) and her recipes reflect all of these cuisines.
L&L has a warm and cozy feel to it and I just wanted to curl up with a cup of tea and get lost in it for an entire day. Just a few of her recipes that caught my eye: Lavender Honey Flapjacks (not your traditional pancake), Baked Kiwi and Stem Ginger Cheesecake, Spanish Seafood & Chorizo Skewers, and A Duet of Olive Marinades.
In the end, I chose to make her Spiced Red Lentil Soup with Frazzled Onions for three reasons:
1) February is Heart Health Month and lentils are super healthy - full of fiber, low in fat and protein packed.
2) The color of this soup is a gorgeous deep orange-yellow - two colors I cannot get enough of during this insane, never-ending winter.
3) I'm late to the party but finally purchased one of Ottolenghi's cookbooks (Plenty) and cannot get enough of its Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influenced, plant-heavy creations like this one. And this one. And Karen's red lentil and carrot soup, flavored with cumin and curry, fits that bill.
4) I love the word "frazzled" to describe sautéed onions.
I followed the recipe to the ingredient (if you don't use grams, I used 1 pound of carrots and 1 cup of red lentils.) And instead of creme fraiche, I used a mix of Greek yogurt and buttermilk, leftover from the Ottolenghi eggplant recipe mentioned above.
Let's just say this is a new keeper recipe for me for winter cooking.
Do you have a favorite winter soup? Any recipes using red lentils? Please share to help me get through the rest of this unending winter!
WOW! What a FABULOUS write-up and so many kind words too, thanks SO much for your lovely post today, you have made my day and the soup looks amazing! I LOVE the word frazzled too by the way! Such beautiful photos and words, what a great way to start a Monday morning! Karen
You are welcome! It was such fun to peruse your blog and get my fix of English, French & South African recipes 🙂
Red lentils are one of my favorite healthy red foods!! This soup looks fabulously spiced...and those frazzled onions are totally a perfect touch!
I haven't cooked red lentils in oh so long and I won't make that mistake again 🙂
We've been looking for a new lentil recipe, and it seems we've found it! Great post! Happy to be in SRC with you!
You must try it - it's so easy to make but super flavorful 🙂
The "frazzled" onions caught my eye. This looks lovely for a cold winter evening. Love lentils. And I agree with you; Plenty is one of the best cookbooks I've purchased in a long time (and I've since purchased all three of Ottolenghi's books).
I'm totally hooked on Ottolenghi and will probably get his other 2 very soon 🙂
Such a healthy and comforting dish, ideal for these cold winter days... I love the pics, Deanna!!!
Yum! I've had a big bag of red lentils from the bulk bins for a while now, not sure what to make with them... we may have found a winner! Looks great!
Love, love this soup! This is a must save and make soon type of recipe. Great SRC pick!
'Frazzled' is a GREAT word. And that looks like a great soup. Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing with the SRC.
I will eat anything w/ caramelized onions. Pass me a bowl! 🙂
I could TOTALLY eat just a bowl of caramelized onions as my veggie course 🙂
Wow! Yes, please... especially on this cold winter night 🙂 -xo-
This would definitely fill the bill for warming, filling, and comforting.
Deelllsh! What a hearty and healthy bowlful!
Yum, love lentil soup! This looks good- love the bright orange color.
Sometimes I feel like a frazzled onion myself! Soup should help. GREG
Haha!! I totally can relate to being a frazzled onion, too 🙂