Strawberry Soup with Jalapeno Cream and Berries
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
Soup:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/4 cup ground coriander
1 Tbsp. ginger
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 Tbsp. tumeric
1/2 Tbsp. crushed red pepper
3 quarts chicken stock
3/4 pounds lentils
3 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Jalapeno Cream and Berries:
3 cups plain yogurt
2-3 Tbsp. salt
ground pepper, to taste
6 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped strawberries
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
To prepare the berries and cream:
Whisk together the yogurt, salt, pepper and jalapenos, then fold in the chopped strawberries and cilantro, separately, and chill the mixture.
To prepare the soup:
In a large stock pot, heat the oil, add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, turmeric and pepper, stirring constantly, then simmer for 1 minute, or until the spices become fragrant. Add the stock, lentils and chopped fresh strawberries and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Serve the soup hot with a dollop of the Jalapeno Cream and Berries, and some extra cream and berry mixture in side dishes.
Yields 12 sevings.
Recipe by Wolfgang H.M. Hanau of Palm Beach, Florida.