Lebanese Lentil Soup Marries My Roots and Shoots Farm Swiss Chard

I know little of foreign relations but I trust that all is well between Lebanon and Switzerland.  At least it is in my kitchen. My absolute favourite way to eat Swiss chard is in Lebanese Lentil Soup.  I have a few friends that make something similar and they provided the inspiration to include this dish in my repertoire.

It is a dish that is well sought after in the colder months. But knowing how the Ottawa seasons seem to include many climates, I knew I just needed to wait a few days and the scene would be right.

Yesterday, while many were considering building an ark on our dark and stormy Tuesday, I took much comfort in my Lebanese Lentil Soup, loaded up with my entire head of Swiss chard from my last Roots and Shoots Farm CSA basket. For good measure I included a few of my CSA spring onions too.

It is a big batch and kinder weather has returned.  The remainder is now in containers to be enjoyed later. It freezes so well.

SHOURABIT ADAS (LEBANESE LENTIL SOUP)
Inspired by Mary Salloum's A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today The Lebanese Way and two special friends that are lentil soup fans

1 pound lean ground beef
4 cooking onions, evenly chopped
2 spring onions including the greens
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup lentils
5 tablespoons ground cumin
10 cups water
1 bundle Swiss chard, chopped
12 small potatoes (cherry tomato size), halved, leaving the skin on if in good shape
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice

Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven. Season the meat. Sauté the beef until fully browned. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are softened.

Clean the Swiss chard and then rip the leaves from the stems.  Rough chop the leaves into manageable pieces for eating, but not too small.  Chop the stems.

Add the ground cumin and cook for 1 or 2 minutes to bring out the fragrance of the spice.

Add lentils, water, Swiss chard, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid on until the lentils are tender, say 1 hour.  I will let the soup stay on the stove on a low simmer for 3 or 4 hours to let the flavours incorporate.  Add water or broth if it needs thinning.

I find the soup tastes much better the next day.  Consider adding more cumin to your taste as the strength of cumin can vary by variety and age. Adjust the salt to your tastes too.  Potatoes take a lot of salt to cook. Finish seasoning just before serving.

When you serve it up, sprinkle a few drops of lemon the top of the soup.

Great accompanied with freshly baked bread.

Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup)

Yesterday I made an impromptu visit to the home of my walking buddy and I was lucky enough to have the added pleasure of meeting up with another old friend. This quick visit had me at the kitchen table chatting, sharing and eating for well over 6 hours. The male specimens in the home wondered through every now and again, picking up 'supplies' or just in transition to another room, leaving the chairs full of estrogen to themselves.

I happened upon a day of cooking, with most burners on the stove in full swing. As the time pushed on, I was eventually served up a bowl of the goodness from pot number 1. It was one of her tried and true soups from the cookbook A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today the Lebanese Way by Mary Salloum called Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup). She shared her modifications. (I ended up adding some more of my own.)

I couldn't wait to go home and make it for myself. A big motivator was the very fresh bundle of swiss chard from my latest Roots and Shoots Farm CSA food basket. Not to mention my CSA potatoes and onions.







Today I made a special trip to Brian's Butchery & Deli at 1117 Cobden Road, off of Iris Street, between Woodroffe Avenue and Greenbank Road. For this soup I wanted some reliable lean ground beef. Their main supply of beef is from Alberta. Ultimately I was pleased with its flavour and also the freshness. Pink meat through and through.

Shourabit Adas (Lentil Soup)
Inspired by Mary Salloum's A Taste of Lebanon: Cooking Today The Lebanese Way and by my special walking buddy

1 pound lean ground beef
5 onions, evenly chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups lentils
3 tablespoons ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
10 cups water
1 bundle Swiss chard, chopped
12 small potatoes (cherry tomato size), halved or quartered, leaving the skin on
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
lemon juice

Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven. Season the meat. Sauté the beef until fully browned. Add the onions and sauté until the onions are softened.

Add the ground cumin and cook for 1 or 2 minutes to bring out the fragrance of the spice.

Add lentils, broth, water, Swiss chard, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer with the lid on until the lentils are tender, say 1 hour.  I will let the soup stay on the stove on a low simmer for 3 or 4 hours to let the flavours incorporate.  Add water or broth if it needs thinning.

When you serve it up, sprinkle a few drops of lemon the top of the soup.

Great accompanied with freshly baked bread.