Lentil “Cappuccino”

Name: Lentil “Cappuccino”
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients: ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup warm water for 20 minutes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ cup chopped celery; 1 cup chopped carrots; 1 cup chopped onion; 1 cup stemmed and chopped cremini or shiitake mushrooms; 1 cup stemmed and chopped cremini or shiitake mushrooms; Chopped fresh chives for garnishing (optional); Steamed milk (if you have an espresso machine) or unsweetened, lightly whipped cream, flavored with a few drops of truffle oil (optional); Steamed milk (if you have an espresso machine) or unsweetened, lightly whipped cream, flavored with a few drops of truffle oil (optional); Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1¼ cups black or brown lentils, picked over; 1¼ cups black or brown lentils, picked over; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and crushed; Steamed milk (if you have an espresso machine) or unsweetened, lightly whipped cream, flavored with a few drops of truffle oil (optional); Steamed milk (if you have an espresso machine) or unsweetened, lightly whipped cream, flavored with a few drops of truffle oil (optional); Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper; Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 6 cups rich Lamb Stock or Mushroom Stock; 6 cups rich Lamb Stock or Mushroom Stock; 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; ½ cup chopped leeks, white part only; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; 1 large bay leaf; 1 cup dry white wine

Preparation info

Serves
8 to 10

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

From the Earth to the Table

By John Ash

Published 1995

About

This is a whimsical approach to soup in a coffee cup that I served at a James Beard House dinner many years ago. Because the color of the soup is similar to coffee, I played with the idea of adding a dollop of steamed milk or whipped cream to make it look like cappuccino. If you wanted to be really decadent, a shaving or two of fresh truffle to mimic chocolate could complete the presentation.

Ingredients

Dinner
Soup
Gluten-free

Ingredients

Method