Equipment
Ingredients
Lentil Soup Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 100 g brown lentils, rinsed
- 100 g green lentils, rinsed
- 50 g long grain white rice, rinsed
- 1200 ml vegetable broth
Green Slurry
- 150 g fresh baby spinach
- 45 g white miso paste
- 20 g fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 jalapeno pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 serrano pepper, roughly chopped
- 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 60 ml water
Browned Shiitakes
- 150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, tough stems discarded
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 ml tamari
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, around 175°C/350°F. Add the diced onion and saute until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the brown lentils, green lentils, long grain white rice, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C/212°F, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and gently simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the lentils and rice are completely tender.
While the soup simmers, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, roughly 190°C/375°F. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single, even layer. Cook completely undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes to develop a deep brown crust, then toss and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tamari.
In a high-speed blender, combine the baby spinach, white miso paste, peeled ginger, jalapeno, serrano, fresh lime juice, and water. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Once the lentils are tender, remove the Dutch oven entirely from the heat source. Allow the soup to stop simmering, then pour in the green slurry. Mix thoroughly. Do not boil the soup after adding the slurry.
Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Garnish each portion generously with the tamari-glazed browned shiitake mushrooms. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- White miso brings a sweet, mild umami that perfectly balances the sharp, nasal-clearing heat of the serrano and jalapeno peppers without overwhelming the dish.
- Adding a small amount of rice directly to the lentil soup base is a classic technique to introduce natural starchiness, giving the broth a velvety, comforting body.
- Preserving the slurry's vibrant color relies heavily on thermal management. Exposing the spinach and miso to a rolling boil destroys the delicate chlorophyll and the active enzymes in the miso.
- Searing mushrooms properly requires patience. Moisture is the enemy of browning, so ensuring your pan is hot enough and refusing the urge to stir immediately is critical for that nutty flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the green slurry separately from the hot soup if possible to preserve its vibrant green color.
Freezer: 3 months — The lentil base freezes beautifully. The fresh slurry and shiitake topping are best made fresh.
Reheating: Reheat the lentil base gently on the stovetop until simmering, then stir in the green slurry off the heat to preserve flavor and color.
