Lemony Cauliflower and Red Lentil Soup. Kindsoups

Creamy Red Lentil and Cauliflower Soup

As usual, we all added our own choice of spices.  The garam masala was good at defining the taste more.  Lemon definitely brightened it up.  And just a little extra salt brought out more of the spices.  Relatively easy soup.  Makes ~ 7 quarts.  Used an immersion blender.  For my taste, the coconut milk wasn’t necessary, just diluted the taste.  After blending, it was fairly creamy with just about 1 cup of coconut milk.

12/2024 - made again with cauliflower, mushrooms, Asian squash (looks like a fat cucumber).  Didn’t use coconut milk.  Increased the spices to compensate for the extra veggies.  Served over spaghetti squash that I happened to have, and with plain yogurt.  

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
• 3 large yellow onions, chopped
• 9 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• (1+ Tbsp garam masala added)
• (Can add paprika as well)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 4 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked through to remove any stones
• 21 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more to taste
• 12 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (from 1 1/2 medium heads)
• 3 cups light coconut milk, plus more for optional garnish (used ~ 1 cup, but tasted better without).  I prefer it served with plain yogurt instead.  
• 1/3 -1/2 cup fresh lemon juice,  to taste - didn’t have; can add vinegar otherwise.

Instructions

• In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 30 seconds more. Stir in the cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste to incorporate, followed by the lentils. Add the broth and salt, and bring to a boil.
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• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. If the lentils have absorbed most of the broth, add more as needed – 1 cup at a time – for a thick but soupy consistency. Add the cauliflower and return the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat so the soup is at a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is soft, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from the heat and, using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. (Or, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender: To prevent spatters, be careful to not fill it more than halfway, remove the center ring from the lid, and hold a kitchen towel over the lid as you blend.) Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice, then taste, and season with additional salt, if desired.
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• Ladle the soup among the bowls, garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired, and serve hot

 

Turbot with Mushrooms

From food network.com   http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/recipes/2010/03/katies-healthy-bites-introducing-hake-turbot-2

Turbot With Wild Mushrooms  - 1/3/2018

Tired of salmon?  Turbot comes from European waters from Iceland to the Mediterranean.  It is considered a flatfish, with firm, lean white flesh with a mild flavor.  It may also be used to refer to several types of flounder in the Pacific Ocean.  It is usually imported frozen to the United States.  It was light but filling and I'll definitely be using this recipe again!

In this recipe you can substitute lemon sole, halibut or any white flaky fish instead of turbot.

Servings: 4
Ingredients: 
1 1/2 pounds turbot, split into 4 pieces
1-2 lemons, juiced
2 teaspoons lemon zest
4 cups wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place turbot in a baking dish, skin side down. Season fish with salt and pepper and the juice of one lemon. Bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until flaky but moist.

2) While fish is cooking, heat the oil in a sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, the juice of the other lemon and the lemon zest. Cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes and then top each piece of fish with 1/4 of mushroom mixture. Serve.

Nutrition Info:
Calories: 212, Fat: 8.7 grams, Saturated Fat: 1.81 grams, Protein: 29.5 grams, Carbohydrates: 4.3 gram, Cholesterol: 81 milligrams, Sodium: 325 milligrams, Fiber: .79 grams

See the same food network entry for a recipe for hake, which is a saltwater fish found in the Atlantic and northern Pacific.  It too is a white fish that is  low in fat and has delicate flavored meat

Peking Portobellos

https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/peking-portobellos/15631/?utm_term=.17a1b1f084c7

Necessity is the mother of invention.  I didn't have enough hoisin sauce at the time I prepared this dish, so I used only 1 Tbsp each of hoisin, date syrup and molasses, which was enough for 6 mushrooms or chicken breasts, prepared in the same pan.  Each tablespoon of hoisin has 490 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar, while the date syrup has only 10 mg of sodium but13 grams of sugar, and the molasses, similarly, has 20 mg of sodium and 14 grams of sugar.  So, as we say, pick your poison.  By combining the different ingredients, you minimize either the salt or the sugar compared to any one of the components.

In any case, the sauce was excellent, especially after the reduction.  If only portobellos are used, without chicken, this would be a low protein main dish, so it would be good to combine with edamames, a protein pasta, or lentils or beans.

From the Post:
These are caramelized and meaty-tasting, with a terrific sauce we're already thinking of using with other dishes as well.

You’ll need a roasting rack.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be made and refrigerated a day in advance.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE MUSHROOMS
6 medium-size portobello mushroom caps (gills removed)
Sliced scallions, for garnish

FOR THE SAUCE
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (see headnote)
2 tablespoons plain rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger root (from a 2-inch piece)
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

DIRECTIONS:

1) For the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a flat wire roasting rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.  Arrange the portobello caps, gill sides down, on the rack. Roast for 12 minutes or until they have released moisture.

2) Meanwhile, make the sauce: Whisk together the hoisin sauce, vinegar, Sriracha, toasted sesame oil, ginger, orange zest, brown sugar and five-spice powder in a medium bowl until well combined. The yield is a generous 3/4 cup.

3) Transfer the roasted portobellos to a few layers of paper towels and let them drain for a few minutes; meanwhile, position an oven rack 8 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler. Wipe off the baking sheet, then lightly grease it with cooking oil spray. Arrange the roasted portobellos on it, gill sides up. Spoon 1/4 cup of the sauce over them.

4) Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce has darkened, watching closely so the portobellos don’t burn. Then use tongs to turn them over. Spoon another 1/4 cup of the sauce over them, then broil for 3 to 5 minutes on the second side, until dark brown and lightly charred on the edges.

5) Slice the portobellos on the diagonal (as thin or thick as you like). Scrape any residual broiled sauce from the baking sheet into the remaining 1/4 cup of sauce, stirring to incorporate. Drizzle the portobellos with that sauce mixture and top with the scallions. Serve warm.