Ingredients
8 c. vegetable broth†
1 large carrot, sliced diagonally
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and crushed‡
1 c. lentil beans
1 large onion, quartered
1 c. chopped parsley
1 c. chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lemon
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
salt
pepper
lemon wedges (for garnish)
Instructions
Rinse lentils and pick over for rocks, etc. Add lentils to vegetable broth with tomatoes, carrot, onion, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 40 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
When lentils are nearly cooked, make a roux by melting the 2 T. butter in a saucepan. Gradually stir in 2 T. flour until smooth and incorporated. Keep stiring over low heat until roux darkens and emits a slightly nutty smell (but don’t burn it!).
Add cilantro, 1/2 c. parsley, and lemon juice to lentil pot, then gradually add roux to soup mixture, raising heat to medium. Continue to stir until soup is slightly thickened. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 6-8
† If you use homemade broth (rather than canned), this will taste much better.
‡ Since tomatoes are expensive and not very good this time of year, I substituted canned tomatoes (14.5 oz can of Muir Glen diced organic tomatoes). Tasted fine to me.
Note: This soup is really yummy reheated the next day!