Soupruary 3rd: Lentil and Kale

Presenting: An excuse to buy a teeny-tiny box of saffron!


Location:
My Apartment, Cincinnati, Ohio (where it's still Christmas, obviously)

Attendees:
Laura, Brent, Josh, me, and a late-nite dinner for Kenneth


Menu:
Delicious fresh-baked ciabatta from Angelina Fine Italian Foods (Findlay Market)
Crushed purple potatoes
Warm butternut squash and chickpea salad
Romaine with Cara Cara and feta
Lentil and kale soup with saffron yogurt
Aglamesis Bros. cinnamon ice cream (the cinnamoniest!)

The color of these potatoes reminds me of Grape Big League Chew.

Entertainment:
Nilch! (a game invented by Brent's friends)
Catchphrase
The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Game (sense the intense concentration in the below photo--that's how Brent trounced us all)

Not bad for a Wednesday, y'all!

The Soup:
One of my favorite soups in Soupruary 1.0 was the Lentil. Having made it many times in the past year, I decided it was time to broaden my lentil horizons.


This tasted as I imagine the concept of health would taste. Fresh, bright, clean--it was like you could feel the antioxidants racing into all your nooks and crannies.


I must admit: Last year's lentil soup still holds the number one spot in my heart (or at least the part of my heart that's reserved for lentil soup). That said, I can see myself craving this big bowl of thick, hearty goodness some brisk day--particularly if I have the sniffles.

The saffron yogurt on here was good, but it's not necessary. You could use plain yogurt, plain sour cream, or just serve the soup as is--it stands up just fine on its own. If you're in Cincinnati, a tip: I buy homemade Greek yogurt at Dean's Mediterranean Imports, and it is packed with insane amounts of FLAVA.

This makes a whole lot of soup, so either have friends over or plan to pack lunch for a week.

Adapted from 101cookbooks.com

2 cups French green lentils (they're so pretty before you cook them!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups water
1 28-oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
3 cups finely chopped kale (washed well and deveined)

Rinse and pick over the lentils, then cook them in 6 cups of boiling water until tender (about 20 minutes).
Heat olive oil in your soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, and some salt, and cook until onions begin to soften (5 to 7 minutes).
Add water, tomatoes and cooked lentils, and bring to a simmer.
Add kale and simmer a few more minutes.
Taste for seasoning, and serve with or without a dollop of saffron yogurt.

Saffron Yogurt
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 pinch saffron
1 tablespoon boiling water

In a small cup or prep bowl, steep the saffron in the boiling water for a few minutes until you have a bright orange liquid. Stir the saffron and liquid into the yogurt and add a good sea salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.