Middle-Eastern Spinach and Lentil Soup with Meatballs

Name: Middle-Eastern Spinach and Lentil Soup with Meatballs
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Serves 6–8
Ingredients: 1.5 litres (2½ pints) water; 1 small onion, grated, or 4 spring onions, chopped; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander; 1 egg, beaten; 5 cm (2-inch) strip of lemon zest, chopped; salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons white breadcrumbs; a generous pinch of ground cinnamon; 1 small onion, peeled and stuck with a clove securing a bay leaf; 750 g (1½ lb) spinach leaves, stalks removed, shredded finely; 250 g (8 oz) brown lentils (preferably Puy lentils); 1 large onion, chopped; 1 chicken or vegetable stock-cube; 250 g (8 oz) minced lamb; pepper; 2 garlic cloves, crushed with 1 teaspoon of salt; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation info

Serves
6–8

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr 10

Appears in

Good Soup Book

By Lindsey Bareham

Published 1997

About

This soup is a complete meal but is still very good and quite filling even without meatballs. It’s even better if you cook the lentils the day before you plan to eat the soup.

Ingredients

For the soup

250 g (8 oz) brown lentils (preferably Puy lentils)
1 chicken

Method

Rinse the lentils, and put them in a large pan, with the stock-cube, onion stuck with clove and bay leaf and water. Bring the water to the boil and then let it simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs by placing all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and squeeze all the ingredients together with your f