Lentil Soup with Roasted Red Peppers and Toasted Cumin

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite foodie shows-Milk Street. I have made some adjustments to accommodate my love of garlic and homemade broths as well as adding the freshly toasted cumin seeds. I think these tweaks create additional layers of flavor and yumminess. Enjoy!

Ingredients

-¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

-4 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

-2 garlic cloves minced

-2 tablespoons tomato paste

-1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground

-1 teaspoon smoked paprika

-2 bay leaves

-Kosher salt and ground black pepper

-1 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained

-1 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers

-6 cups homemade vegetable broth

-1 cup baby spinach or baby kale

Method

• In a large saucepan over low/medium heat, heat the oil until warm.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes, careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the tomato paste, toasted ground cumin, paprika, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until the fragrance fills your kitchen-about 1 to 2 minutes.

• Stir in the lentils, roasted peppers, 1 teaspoon salt and 6 cups homemade vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have softened and begin to fall apart, about 40 minutes.

• Remove and discard the bay leaf. Add the spinach or kale and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with additional olive oil and a loaf a crusty bread with a chunk of Gouda on the side.

Note on toasting/grinding cumin seeds: heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add whole cumin seeds, and continuously stir until they darken just slightly slightly and release a fragrant aroma. Let them cool before grinding them into a powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle; be careful not to burn the seeds as they can become bitter.

Note on the lentils: When I actually prepared this recipe I used French lentils which I love. However, they tend to hold their share after cooking and do not get quite as creamy, thus I have included green lentils in this version for you. If French lentils are what you have on hand, I would recommend a very quick immersion blender action to get a smoother texture.

Wine Pairings

You should consider wines that complement the soup's smokey flavors without overpowering them. Here are some wines that might pair well: Merlot ,Loire Cabernet Franc, Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, Beaujolais