Inspiration for tonight's dinner: lightness and spice. Warming and generously spiced, Roasted Carrot Soup and Rivka's Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt together make for a super-satisfying, palate-enlivening dinner.
We've included a sort of meal-making plan of action below, but click on the photos or links to find the fully-fleshed out recipes. A delicious supper in, oh, about an hour -- eat up!
If you're a fan of healthy, satisfying dinners, check out Our New Year's Detox and 9 Great Winter Grains. And browse Food52's vast recipe collection for more menu ideas and many brilliant options for dinner tonight!
The Menu
Serves 4
6 to 8 large carrots (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt
6 cups vegetable stock (good quality, not too high in sodium)
1 piece ginger, an inch long, peeled
1 sprig thyme, plus more for garnish
1/2 large sweet onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Peel and cut the carrots into 1/2-inch rounds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the broiler. Broil the carrots until they brown and soften, turning them over with a spatula every 5 minutes or so; this should take 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil, add the ginger and the sprig of thyme and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Put the onion in a medium stock pot with the remaining olive oil. Brown the onion over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, and then add the carrots.
4. Remove the ginger and thyme from the stock and add the stock to the pot with the onions and carrots. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to puree.
5. Use an immersion or a standard blender to puree the mixture until smooth. If the soup seems too thick, add more stock or water and reheat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with chopped fresh thyme.
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Mujaddara with Spiced Yogurt by Rivka
The Grocery List
6-8 large carrots
1 piece fresh ginger
fresh thyme
3/4 cup french lentils
1 cup jasmine rice
fresh mint
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
spicy paprika
We're assuming you have olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onions, broth, butter, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and a bit of lemon in your kitchen already. You're a with-it kind of home cook, you've got it together. If you're out, this is the time to stock up!
The Plan: Both recipes happen in a number of 15 minute increments, so the trick is to try and match them up!
1. Boil the lentils for the Mujaddara and roast the carrots for the soup -- it doesn't matter if they sit a bit after they're done.
2. Now get the rice cooking and tackle steps #4 and #5 of the Mujaddara recipe.
3. Did you get the Mujaddara to the point where the flavors are marrying? It's going to sit for at least 15 minutes, so now is the moment to finish that soup!
4. Dinner is served!
Aside : A nibble or two of good dark chocolate and a little pat on the back wouldn't be out of place after this meal. It was pretty darn virtuous after all. Dinner is served.
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