INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup dried apricots
3 cups red lentils
10 cups vegetable or chicken stock, plus more if needed
6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
METHOD:
In a stockpot, sauté onions, garlic, and apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, and season with cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock.
Stir in lemon juice. Puree half of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot.
Serve.
YIELD: 8 servings
