As we're poised here at the start of spring, I find that my tastes in food are changing. In the winter months I eschew salads and "light" foods for dishes that emphasize meat and use root vegetables. When the temperature drops and the days grow short, we tend to eat like we're storing fat.
Now that the seasons are changing and we're neither eating for cold weather nor yet enjoying the warm, it's sometimes difficult for cooks to feel in synch with the calendar.
As eager as we might be to start showcasing fresh ingredients, local produce is still a few months away and most of the out-of-state fruits and vegetables we find in the supermarkets lack sufficient flavor to hold their own in a recipe.
In early spring, lentils make a nice backdrop for fresh ingredients that may not be in their prime. The mild flavor of lentils doesn't dominate a soup or salad, and the lentils themselves are not as heavy as other legumes. In soups, such as the one offered here, lentils provide enough density to be filling without tasting starchy.
What I like about this soup recipe for this time of year is the lift that the ginger and spices offer. While you could substitute dried ginger, the fresh root is fun to cook with, I think. The release of aroma during grating always lifts my spirits. The cilantro garnish is a nice, fresh finishing touch.
Although fresh cilantro is available year-round in supermarket produce sections, it's also easy to grow indoors in pots. I stopped planting it outdoors because it had reseeded itself several years running. I won't know for at least a couple more weeks whether the volunteers will appear again this year, after the exceptionally cold winter we had. To make sure I had a ready supply of fresh cilantro when the weather began to warm, I started a pot of cilantro in January.
Like any other plant that you start from seed indoors, cilantro will become leggy if it doesn't get enough light but should do well in a south window.
This recipe is from Annie Somerville's "Field of Greens." Soup is a good way to start cooking with lentils, because you don't have to worry about overcooking them.
Moroccan Lentil Soup
1 cup lentils, about 6 ounces
6 cups cold water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 2 cups
salt
cayenne pepper
1 small carrot, diced, about 1/2 cup
1 celery rib diced, about 1/2 cup
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, diced, about 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 8-ounce can tomatoes, with juice, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Sort and rinse the lentils and place them in a soup pot with the cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until tender, about 20 minutes.
While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium-size sautan and add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few pinches of cayenne. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft, seven to eight minutes, then add the vegetables, another 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the spices. Cook for five minutes, then stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute or two.
Add the vegetables and tomatoes to the lentils and their broth. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and deepen.
Season to taste with salt and cayenne. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of cilantro.
Makes 8 to 9 cups.
When she's not writing about foods and gardening, Gwyn Mellinger is teaching journalism at Baker University. Her phone number is (785) 594-4554.
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