Turkish Lentil Soup

One of my favorite soup recipes from Real Food Daily owner, Ann Gentry's cookbook, "The Real Food Daily Cookbook."

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 cup medium-coarse bulgur

1 (14 1/2-oz) can whole tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato paste

10 cups vegetable stock or water

1 3/4 cups dried lentils, picked through and rinsed

4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves (6 oz)

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

2 1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot. Add the onions to saute for 8 minutes, or until translucent.
2. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf, cayenne and then the bulgur. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the bulgur is lightly toasted and the onions are golden brown.
3. Squeeze the tomatoes into the bulgur mixture and add the juices from the can. Stir in the tomato paste, and then the stock and lentils. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
4. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
5. Stir in the spinach until just tender and add parsley, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes longer, or until the spinach wilts.
6. Discard the bay leaf and season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
   

The soup will keep for 2 days, covered and refrigerated.
Serves: 6-8