Spiced lentil soup is one of those recipes that is cooked the same way from Morocco to India, with spice variations depending on the household. Cumin, coriander, a vegetable base, and a legume that absorbs everything you put around it. The room for improvement, here too, lies in the oil used to finish the dish.
We use JANIROC Lecciana. Lecciana is a cross between Leccino and Arbosana, with a medium-large round fruit weighing about 4 grams. We grow it on 85 hectares in L'Albagés, Lleida, and harvest it in mid-September, the earliest of the entire JANIROC collection.
The organoleptic profile is what makes the dish work. Very herbaceous, good fruitiness, clear spicy notes, and a unique almond sweetness that gives it body and organoleptic stability. Compared to cumin and coriander, the herbaceous touch supports the spice, and the sweet almond base softens the spiciness without masking it.
Difficulty: Beginner · Total time: 40 min · Servings: 4
Utensils: pot, hand blender or stand blender, small pan for toasting spices.
Ingredients
- 250 g red lentils
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- 45 ml JANIROC Organic Lecciana 500 ml: 30 ml for sautéing, 15 ml raw when serving
Pairing: Clos Pons Sisquella · Clos Pons Jan Rosé.
Preparation
- Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Reserve half for garnish.
- Sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic with 30 ml of JANIROC Lecciana over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until softened.
- Add the ground toasted spices, lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
- Blend until a homogeneous cream is obtained. Adjust salt and add lemon juice.
- Serve in a bowl, topped with the reserved toasted spices, fresh cilantro, and ground pepper.
- Finish with the remaining 15 ml of JANIROC Lecciana raw, just before bringing the dish to the table.
That final drizzle is where the oil really works: when cold, it releases the herbaceous and almond notes that cooking heat attenuates.
JANIROC Lecciana is a single-varietal organic extra virgin olive oil made by PONS with Lecciana olives from L'Albagés (Lleida), harvested early and with over 350 mg/kg of polyphenols. It is cold-extracted in our mill, less than 30 minutes from the olive grove, and is especially recommended for raw use.
