Garden in Lentils
I stumbled onto what I think is a very tasty soup. My tomatoes have been ripening at a sedate pace, and I've been eating them mostly straight off the plant. With the weather turning cool, a whole bunch ripened at once, and I had a good deal of Early Girls and Sun Golds in the fridge. Something different...
I haven't had lentils in a while, so I cooked up two pounds (after a quick soak of a few hours), with oregano (a tablespoon or more) and rosemary (about half the oregano amount). I wanted something else with a warmer taste to counter the tomatoes and acorn squash I planned to add. Surprising to me, tarragon had a smell which seemed suited, and I added a modest amount. When the lentils were just about soft enough it was starting to smell pretty good for a lentil soup with nothing else but the herbs. I had about two quarts of Early Girls cut into eighths and halved Sun Golds. The Sun Golds were a third to a quarter of the total, so without the sweet cherry tomatoes you'd want to add a little honey or sugar to get some sweetness. I dumped in the tomatoes, some salt, and two halved acorn squash and brought it to a boil. Day was running out so I refrigerated until I could finish cooking.
I thought the cooked acorn squash would be easy to peel. No such luck. Next time I peel them ahead of time. Once the squash was mashed up and returned to the soup I simmered until the tomatoes broke down to the point I wanted them. I don't think I've ever had enough home grown tomatoes that I cooked them before. The aroma as they cooked with the herb combination was heavenly. I'll try this again with store bought tomatoes, but I don't think it will be nearly as good as those plucked when they're fully ripe.
Note: Don't add the acidic tomatoes or salt until the lentils are nearly soft enough, as salt and acid nearly stop the softening process.
I haven't had lentils in a while, so I cooked up two pounds (after a quick soak of a few hours), with oregano (a tablespoon or more) and rosemary (about half the oregano amount). I wanted something else with a warmer taste to counter the tomatoes and acorn squash I planned to add. Surprising to me, tarragon had a smell which seemed suited, and I added a modest amount. When the lentils were just about soft enough it was starting to smell pretty good for a lentil soup with nothing else but the herbs. I had about two quarts of Early Girls cut into eighths and halved Sun Golds. The Sun Golds were a third to a quarter of the total, so without the sweet cherry tomatoes you'd want to add a little honey or sugar to get some sweetness. I dumped in the tomatoes, some salt, and two halved acorn squash and brought it to a boil. Day was running out so I refrigerated until I could finish cooking.
I thought the cooked acorn squash would be easy to peel. No such luck. Next time I peel them ahead of time. Once the squash was mashed up and returned to the soup I simmered until the tomatoes broke down to the point I wanted them. I don't think I've ever had enough home grown tomatoes that I cooked them before. The aroma as they cooked with the herb combination was heavenly. I'll try this again with store bought tomatoes, but I don't think it will be nearly as good as those plucked when they're fully ripe.
Note: Don't add the acidic tomatoes or salt until the lentils are nearly soft enough, as salt and acid nearly stop the softening process.