Lebanese Spinach And Lentil Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• canola oil or olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups chicken stock or 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup lentils (french blue ones are nice or green)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
• 3 ounces vermicelli, broken (or other fine pasta)
• 1/2-1 lemon
• salt
• pepper
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan set over low-moderate heat, saute the onion in a drizzle of oil with a pinch of salt until transparent and starting to brown, 4 to 7 minutes.
• 2 add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• 3 add the water, stock, lentils, and spices, and bring to a simmer.
• 4 cook, covered, until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• 5 in the meantime, drain the spinach in a colander and squeeze by handfuls to remove as much liquid as possible.
• 6 in a large skillet, saute the spinach in batches with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt until cooked and almost crisp.
• 7 transfer the cooked spinach to a plate and set aside.
• 8 once the lentils are tender, add the vermicilli pieces and cook until the pasta is nearly tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
• 9 add the sauteed spinach and juice of half a lemon to the pot, stir well, and add salt and pepper.
• 10 add more lemon if you like, or pass around wedges at the table.
• 11 ladle into bowls and top with cilantro.