Black Beluga Lentil Soup Recipe

Black Beluga Lentils look like caviar when cooked and are delicious as a side dish. They are excellent in soups and salads, and are higher in amino acids than French, green, or red lentils. Their mild flavor combines readily with other ingredients in soups and grain salads and they hold their small round shape. 

These tiny lentils are indigenous to Syria and have been eaten for over 8,000 years.  Lentils are the seed of a small shrub and have been a staple food for many South Asian cultures. They have a mild, earthly flavor and soft texture.  They're delicious in chilled vegetable salads, or mixrf with bread crumbs, minced onion and garlic to stuff roasted red peppers or eggplant. They cook in about 30 minutes without soaking.


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cups yellow Onions, medium dice
1 cup Celery, medium dice
1 cup Carrots, medium dice
3 cups total of yellow, green and red bell peppers, medium dice
1 Jalapeño minced (no seeds)
2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
4 quarts Vegetable Stock
2 cups Tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)
¾ pounds black Beluga lentils (optional brown or French lentils)
1 Bay Leaf
1 tablespoon dry Thyme
2 pounds yellow Finn Potatoes, large dice
2 dashes Hot Pepper Sauce
1/8 cup Italian Parsley, chopped
1/8 cup Fresh chopped herbs, such as oregano, sage, rosemary & chives
1 ounce White Wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
In a two gallon stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil and onions, celery, carrots, peppers and jalapeño. Sweat vegetables approximately seven minutes until onions turn translucent. Add fresh garlic, cook for one minute. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, black Beluga lentils, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Simmer until lentils are tender. Add potatoes, tabasco, Italian parsley, fresh herbs, white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until potatoes are tender.

A delicious, hearty and comforting soup on a cold winter night.