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Lentil and Bulghur Soup with Minted Garlic Olive Oil Butter and Camp Memories

Inspired by Maria Speck
Course Entree
Cuisine Middle Eastern, Soup
Keyword garlic, lentils, olive oil butter
Author TheSpicedLife

Ingredients

For the soup:

  • 2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 large or 3 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 head garlic, minced, divided (about 3 T total)
  • salt to taste
  • 1 T white wine vinegar
  • 1 t coarse aleppo
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 3 T double strength tomato paste
  • 1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup bulghur
  • 3/4 cup red lentils
  • 3/4 cup black beluga lentils, can substitute French lentil de puy, any lentil that holds its shape
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 5 cups water
  • juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 T agave syrup (or sugar), to taste

For minted garlic olive oil butter:

  • 1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 T unsalted butter
  • 1 T minced garlic from the garlic above
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 T dried mint, not peppermint
  • 1/4 t coarse aleppo
  • 1 t agave syrup, or sugar

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. When it is shimmering, add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelizing, about 12 minutes.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic and stir into the onions. Let cook for 1 minute, then add the spices with another pinch of salt and cook another minute. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, scraping any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

  3. Add the tomato paste and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the fire roasted tomatoes and bring to a lively simmer. Stir occasionally and let simmer for 5 minutes.

  4. Stir in the bulghur and lentils. Add the chicken stock and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover and let gently simmer for 30-40 minutes (longer is better).
  5. While the soup is simmering, work on the Minted Garlic Olive Oil Butter: Heat the olive oil in a small, preferably nonstick pan. Add the garlic on medium-low heat and let cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes (you want it golden and fragrant, but be careful to not let it get too dark).
  6. Add the butter to the garlic; when it has melted and subsided with any foaming, about a minute or 2 (take it off the heat momentarily if it is overcooking the garlic), add the dried mint with a pinch of salt and the aleppo pepper. Stir until fragrant, about 15 seconds, and then remove from the heat. Stir in the agave syrup. Set aside.
  7. Return to the soup: add the black pepper, the juice of the lemon and 1 tablespoon of agave syrup. Taste for additional pepper, lemon juice, agave syrup or salt. Serve drizzled with a little of the Minted Garlic Olive Oil Butter and a wedge of lemon. Also serve with additional aleppo pepper for those who like things spicier.