From meals past...

I am a proud user-upper. Especially in the summer, when our frig was bursting with veggies, I felt compelled to find recipes to use up as much as possible. I periodically clean out the pantry too, and find aging lentils or rice that need to be used up, too.

Just as fall was starting to turn crisp, and the last of the heirloom tomatoes were in full bloom, we made this meal: Moroccan Lentil Soup, from our well-worn Fields of Greens cookbook.

It was really tasty, but what really strikes me is how freaking gorgeous those tomatoes were. I'm writing this post in late November, when the Heirloom have long since died, and it makes me nostalgic for tasty, sweet tomatoes. Sigh...

Moroccan Lentil Soup:

Sort and rinse one cup of lentils and bring them to boil in your soup pot with six cups cold water. Reduce to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes, until tender.

While the simmering is happening heat olive oil in a medium saute pan and add a diced medium onion, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch or two chile powder (we used a combination of cayenne and ancho). Cook until soft, then add one carrot and one red bell pepper, diced, one tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp corriander (toasted and ground) and 1/4 tsp tumeric. Cook five minutes and then stir in four cloves chopped garlic and one Tbsp grated ginger. Cook a couple more minutes and then stir in 1/2 pound tomatoes (canned or fresh, peeled and seeded or not), and add the whole thing to the tender lentils. Cover and cook for thirty minutes and then as salt to taste.

You can top this with cilantro or, as we did, with minted yogurt.