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

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

Soup
Autumn

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