Smoky Lentil Soup With Picada
We love all things lentil and this Spanish-style lentil soup is a favorite! Lentil soup can serve as a main dish, light meal or as a starter. The soup begins with preparing a flavorful base called sofrito, common to most soups, an aromatic combination of onion, celery, and carrots (love to add lots of carrots which add color, texture, and sweetness) plus garlic, tomato and smoky roasted peppers. The soup is finished with a nutty picada, a thick pesto-like sauce made of toasted bread, almonds, garlic, parsley, and a bit of olive oil. Typically the bread is fried in oil; but in order to keep the oil to a minimum, I opted to toast it instead. The soup is delicious just as it is, but the picada takes it to the next level. Picada is usually added towards the end of cooking. Leftovers are fabulous for about a week or maybe frozen for up to 3 months. Or, turn the delicious leftovers into a yummy casserole: stir the soup into cooked...