I’ve been under the weather, and so it’s been All Soup All the Time around here. I wanted a change from my usual chicken-vegetable, and a sturdy lentil soup sounded appealing. Red lentils have a milder flavor than their green or brown cousins, and are frequently used in Middle-Eastern soups because they soften fast and make a thick, homey soup. I’ve had red lentil soups in Turkish and Middle Eastern restaurants, usually with rice or bulgar which boosts the protein. For this soup, I used red lentils; with chicken stock, onion, garlic, tomato, mint, Aleppo chile pepper and lemon from the Flavor Bible. Aleppo pepper is a medium-hot chile often used in Middle-Eastern cooking for its good flavor and gentle heat. I adore it, and buy it in flakes from Penzey's. I got the idea for the chile-mint drizzle from a restaurant in Boston that tops it's soups with something similar.

You must, must not forgo the drizzle of paprika-Aleppo-mint butter, it adds a sexy swirl of flavor and richness.

Red Lentil Soup with Mint
6 servings--freezes well

1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 tomato, diced
1 Tbs. sweet paprika
1/2 tsp. ground red chile--I used Aleppo, which is subtly spicy
1 cup red lentils
1/4 cup rice
7-8 cups chicken broth
1 Tbs. dried mint (make sure your mint is good quality and fragrant)
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon

Topping:
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 tsp. dried mint, crumbled
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. Aleppo Pepper

Lemon wedges

In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the oil. Saute the onion until just golden, then add the garlic, tomato paste, tomato, paprika, and chile pepper. Mix well, then add the lentils and rice, then stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for about an hour, or until the lentils and rice are very soft. Let cook some more if the lentils aren't dissolving into the broth. (older lentils may need additional time).

Add the mint, salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water. Let cool, then puree the soup with an immersion blender or other device. Squeeze in lemon to taste. Refrigerate until serving--it tastes better the next day.

For the topping, melt the butter in a skillet, add the mint and paprika and stir well. Pour the soup into bowls, and drizzle a bit of the flavored butter on each. Swirl with a knife, add a lemon slice, and serve. Nice with toasted pita or hearty bread.