Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [70]
5 Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among deep plates. Scoop the fish stew over the couscous and garnish each serving with some fennel fronds.
TO GET A HEAD START: The stew without the fish, as in step 1, can be prepared 1 day ahead. Just before serving, proceed with step 2 and gently reheat the stew before adding the fish, as in step 4.
Bulgur-Lentil Soup with Minted Olive Oil Butter
The rustic simplicity of this classic Turkish soup has mesmerized me since childhood. Variations are served in Greece as well. As the red lentils disintegrate, they form the backbone of a thick, nourishing one-pot meal with the pleasing chewiness of bulgur. Passionate Mediterranean cooks will simmer the soup for 40 minutes, and if you have time, do it—you will be rewarded with chunky, supple spoonfuls as the starch in the lentils continues to congeal. If you prefer a smoother soup, you can puree part or all of it in batches in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade (use caution with hot liquids!). Return the soup to the same pot, cover, and gently rewarm over medium heat, stirring. Serve as a light meal in the summer or as a warming first course in the colder months, together with toasted whole wheat pita wedges.
I often double or triple the amount of minted olive oil butter, as it tastes delicious drizzled on whole grain bread or over brown rice (chill, covered, and briefly reheat in the microwave). Or use it to brush on burgers such as the Lamb Burgers with Bulgur and Mint. For more on varieties of bulgur. SERVES 6
SOUP
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, or more olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice (about 1½ cups)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1½ teaspoons paprika, or ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (see sidebar)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups coarsely chopped fresh or diced canned tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted (one 14-ounce can)
½ cup coarse bulgur
½ cup split red lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ to 1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
MINTED OLIVE OIL BUTTER
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons dried spearmint
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 To prepare the soup, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the butter and wait until the foam almost subsides. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and turns light golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (there might be splatter!) and adjust the heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring once or twice and scraping the bottom to release any browned bits, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
2 Stir in the bulgur, lentils, broth, water, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Decrease the temperature to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the soup thickens, with the bulgur retaining a slight bite, at least 25 minutes but ideally 40 minutes. Season with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of the sugar, and the pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and let sit for a few minutes.
3 While the soup sits, make the minted olive oil butter. Heat the olive oil and butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mint and cayenne (it will sizzle!) and stir until fragrant, 15 seconds. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and pour the minted olive oil butter into