Staying Warm with a Lebanese Feast

Lebanese lentil soup with spinach and lemon

3 tbsp                                                 olive oil                                             90 mL

2                                     onion, medium, finely chopped                                  2

4                                              garlic cloves, minced                                           4

2 tsp                                             cumin, ground                                        10 mL

½ tsp                                           cayenne pepper                                     2.5 mL

1 ½ cups                    green or brown lentils, picked over                   375 mL

4 cups                                vegetable or chicken stock                                   1 L

4 cups                                                  water                                                     1 L

¼ cup                                      fresh mint, chopped                                   60 mL

To taste                                       salt and pepper                                     to taste

1-8 oz bag              spinach, tough stems removed, chopped               500 mL

1                                           lemon, zested and juiced                                        1

1 cup                                       yogurt, plain, balkan                                250 mL

1/8 cup                                     cilantro, chopped                                     30 mL

1/8 cup                                   fresh mint, chopped                                   30 mL

1.      In large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low. Cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin and cayenne; cook 30 seconds. Add lentils, stock and water, and raise heat to high.

2.      When it comes to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Purée 1 cup of soup in food processor and stir back into pot. Add mint and spinach and season with salt and pepper.

3.      When ready to serve soup, bring to simmer and stir in, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with dollop of herbed yogurt.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Adapted by Erin Sine, 2012.

Eric Vellend. (2008). Lebanese lentil soup with spinach and lemon. The Star. Retrieved April 26, 2012 from http://www.thestar.com/living/food/recipes/article/554883--lebanese-lentil-soup-with-spinach-and-lemon

Tabouleh

3 cups                            flat leaf parsley, finely chopped                       750 mL

½ cup                                      mint, finely chopped                                125 mL

4-5                                   spring onions, finely chopped                                4-5

4                                                tomatoes, chopped                                            4

100 g                                               bulgur, fine                                           100 g

½ cup                                              lemon juice                                        125 mL

¼ cup                                                 olive oil                                             60 mL

To taste                                       salt and pepper                                     to taste

1. Soak bulgur in cold water for ½ hour then drain. Mix all ingredient together, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve with lettuce leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Lebanese Recipes. Retrieved April 12, 2012 from http://www.lebaneserecipes.com/Tabouleh.htm

To introduce some more protein into the meal, I substituted cooked quinoa for the bulgur in the Tabouleh. I know it isn't traditional, but it was well received and it was a great opportunity to introduce this delectable seed to our Growing Eden family. Everyone loved the quinoa this week, so we will be showcasing it in the next visit!

With help of my lovely Community Kitchen volunteers, we created a delicious side; French baguettes sliced and stuffed with butter, garlic, Gouda and Zataar. We needed to be pretty creative to be able to melt the cheese on a camping stove without burning it, but it was a huge success! I think everyone liked this dish the most! 

Who doesn't love bread and cheese?