Adas - Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
A simple lentil and onion soup that is simply delicious!
"A Mess of Potage" is what my husband calls it and yes, sometimes it looks like a mess, or at least my kitchen utensils do after preparing it! My husband maintains that this earthy, humble lentil soup from Jordan (the land of the Bible) must have been similar to what the Biblical Esau sold his birthright for, to his brother Jacob. Even hungry modern-day nomads, after a day of unfruitful hunting and surviving the wilds of suburbia might be inclined to do the same for this satisfying bowl of sustenance. If Jacob's version included the fried bread croutons and lemon juice of this recipe, he might have had his pick of birthrights from those lined up outside his tent drooling for a "mess" from the "potage" pot!
ADAS - LENTIL SOUP:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 carrots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 cups brown or orange lentils
1 tab. ground cumin
1 lemon, cut in wedges
3 pita loaves, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tab. ground sumac
salt and pepper to taste
finely minced fresh parsley
-Rinse lentils then soak in large bowl of cold water for 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
-In large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are soft and golden, stirring frequently (about 20 minutes.)
-Add carrots and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes longer.
-Add lentils, cumin and 4 cups water to the pot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until contents come to a boil. Reduce the heat to low simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until lentils are very tender, stirring occasionally.
-Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup olive oil in medium sauté pan. Add bread squares and cook over medium-high heat until browned and crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bread squares from oil and drain. Salt lightly while warm.
-Remove soup from heat and allow to sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Place soup in blender and blend until smooth (or if you prefer to keep some of the lentils whole, for a coarser soup, puree just half of the lentils.) Return soup to pot. Season to taste with generous salt and pepper and ground sumac.
-Ladle into soup bowls. On top of each serving, sprinkle bread squares, a squirt of lemon juice, minced parsley and additional sumac. Serve with lemon wedges.
-Serves 6 - 8
Serve delicious Adas with wedges of warm pita bread.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**For a richer broth, add chicken bouillon paste to liquid when cooking lentils.
**Sumac is a spice used frequently in Middle Eastern cooking, on salads, on chicken dishes and on soups. It is made from the dried and ground berries of the wild sumac flower and has a tangy, slightly sour lemony taste and is a beautiful dark red color. You can purchase sumac online at Amazon or through Penzey’s spices or find it in international grocery stores.
