Perhaps you saw the title of this post and thought, WTF I don’t even know what Black Beluga Lentils ARE let alone why I would want Kale with THEM! I know, I know, weirdo veggie Adrienne wants us to eat crazy stuff and be kind to things with faces…well, yes, but Kale is a powerful, versatile and sturdy vegetable. It is often overlooked, mostly because the only interaction you ever have with it is under that crappy obligatory unripe melon slice, next to your steak and baked potato at the steakhouse. Yep, that’s Kale and it’s delicious.
Kale seems a little dark and mysterious, a little scary, and so is the amount of times this woman says “super” in this Kale video. Nonetheless, it’s a good primer-when you are done watching, come back for the soup recipe will ya?
Black Beluga Lentil Soup
Adapted from Heidi Swanson’s Lively Lentil Soup at 101cookbooks.com
- 2 C black beluga lentils (or green French lentils), picked over and rinsed
- 2 C great northern beans, cooked
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 T chipotle en adobo sauce (from the can)
- 2T cumin
- 2T smoked paprika
- 2 tsp pepper, ground
- 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 C water
- 3 C of a big leafy green (chard, kale, etc), rinsed well, deveined, finely chopped
Saffron Yogurt
- a pinch of saffron (30-40 threads)
- 1 T boiling water
- two pinches of salt
- 1/2 C 2% Greek Yogurt
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, add the lentils, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
While the lentils are cooking, make the saffron yogurt by combining the saffron threads and boiling water in a tiny cup. Let the saffron steep for a few minutes. Now stir the saffron along with the liquid into the yogurt. Mix in the salt and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat, then add the onion, carrot, and spices and saute until tender, a couple minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, lentils, and water and continue cooking for a few more minutes, letting the soup come back up to a simmer. Stir in the chopped greens, cooked beans, and wait another minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning if need be. Ladle into bowls, and serve with a dollop of the saffron yogurt.
This soup hurts so GOOD!! It has a little kick to it, but the saffron yogurt is cooling. To make less spicy, just put in less of the hot stuff up there silly! I of course added Frank’s Red Hot to this before I served it.
Veg Bon Vivant 