Month: December 2009

Rehfwitz Basic Smooth Lentil Soup

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You can skip the last step if you prefer your lentils whole.

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 small onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 pound brown lentils
  • 2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock or broth
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 2 teaspoons (or more) dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons (or more) dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Sauté until tender.

Add carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add lentils and stir for about 1 minute.  Add stock, tomatoes, and seasoning.

Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 45 minutes.  Use an immersion (stick) blender to blend until smooth.

“Cream” of Carrot Soup

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From The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee with Diane Porter.

  • 2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (about 2 medium), cleaned before chopping
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped unpeeled carrots
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cups vegetable stock or stock of your choice
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill

In a large, heavy-bottom pot, sauté the leeks in the olive oil over medium-low heat until they’re wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the carrots, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper.  Stir.

Add the stock and turn the heat to high.  Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer the soup until the carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.

Lift out the solids with a wire strainer of slotted spoon and put them in a food processor with a little of the liquid.  Puree.  Return the carrot puree to the pot, add the dill, and stir.  Serve hot.

Can be refrigerated for two days.  Reheat before serving.

Serves 6 to 8 as a first course.

No bake Chanukiah Dessert

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Submitted by Debbie Tenzer

  • 9 Dove Bar ice cream miniatures
  • 9 Chanukah candles
  • 9 cupcake liners

Place all cupcake liners in a straight line. Elevate the middle liner on a small cup or custard cup. This should resemble a Chanukah menorah.

Remove a Dove mini from wrapper. Place mini in a cupcake liner, so mini “stands up.” (At this point, you could freeze them and continue later if you’d like.)

Stick a candle in the top of each mini. Do this for all. You now have an ice cream Chanukah menorah. Serve immediately.