2 1/2 cups dried split red lentils
10 cups cold water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic, to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water
Lemon wedges (1 to 2 per person)
1. Submerge the lentils in a medium-sized bowl filled with cold water. Pick out small rocks and skim off any dirt and old shells that float to the surface.
2. Put the drained lentils into a 5-quart saucepan or kettle, add the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and mix well. Continue to simmer until the soup becomes fairly thick, like pea soup, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the garlic, cumin, and coriander.
4. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat and add the garlic mixture. Brown the mixture until the garlic and oil turn into a yellow sauce, about 30 seconds (make sure not to cook the garlic over high heat; it burns easily.) Remove from the heat.
5. Add the dissolved flour and garlic sauce to the soup. Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. (May be frozen up to 1 month at this point, or refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. When reheating, it may be necessary to add water, as the soup thickens upon cooling.)
6. Taste the soup for salt. Serve very hot accompanied by lemon wedges, which are squeezed, several drops at a time, into each spoonful of soup as it is eaten.
From A Fistful of Lentils, by Jennifer Felicia Abadi, Serves 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
1/8 cup tequila (see Note)
1 Tbsp Triple Sec or Cointreau orange liqueur
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 to 1-1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
PREPARATION:
Measure 1/4 cup olive oil, lime juice, orange juice concentrate, tequila, Triple Sec, cilantro, garlic, sweet onion, curry powder, salt, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, and black pepper into a large zip-top bag.
Seal and squish contents to mix. Add shrimp to marinade, squeeze out all the air, and seal. Turn bag to coat shrimp. Refrigerate for 1 hour. (Do not over-marinate or the citrus acids will “cook” the shrimp.)
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to hot pan and swirl to coat. Remove shrimp from marinade, reserving marinade, and place in a single layer in the hot pan. Cook for 1 minute, then flip the shrimp to the other side. Do not overcook the shrimp or it will become rubbery. Add the reserved marinade to the pan. Cook 1 minute, then remove shrimp and keep warm. Continue cooking the marinade until it reduces to a thin sauce. Turn off heat, return the shrimp to the pan, and toss in the sauce.
Serve Caribbean Island Lime Shrimp over white rice. This dish is also good as a room temperature appetizer for parties.
Note: If you do not normally stock tequila and/or Triple Sec at home, simply pick up the mini single serving bottles. This recipe will use about half of a mini bottle of each. If you cannot consume alcohol, simply leave them out.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe by: Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
http://homecooking.about.com/od/shellfishrecipes/r/blshrimp9.htm
