White Bark Balls
Jennifer Steinhauer
116 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
116
1 hour 30 minutes, plus at least 4 hours' refrigeration
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Soak the lentils in water for 2 hours, then drain.
Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and bay leaf. Sauté over medium-high heat until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add lentils, stock and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a large pinch of salt. Add the walnuts and work until finely ground. Add 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, mixing it in a teaspoon at a time, to form a paste.
Add the remaining ½ cup crème fraîche to the finished soup. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a large spoonful of walnut cream, a bit of ground pepper and, if desired, a sprinkle of parsley.
I've made this before using black (beluga) lentils - I don't think it's necessary to soak the lentils unless you want a more "mushy" lentil consistency.
The raw garlic/walnut paste makes this soup delicious. Add an extra clove of garlic to the paste. You won't be disappointed.
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