Red lentil soup with sauteed scallops

These wintry harsh days just beg for warm sweaters, woolen blankets, and of course comfort food. The nippy days and nights of wintertime makes us crave something warm and comforting to eat. Simple home-cooked food, is all what I need these days!

On a cold day, nothing sounds more appealing to me than hot steaming bowl of soup. It’s what I want to eat when I feel cold. It’s what refuels me and warms my soul!

I have fond memories of enjoying a bowl of red lentil soup as a child. I just close my eyes and savor each bite because it reminds me of my family and my childhood. It reminds me of walking home in the cold from school to find a bowl of red lentil soup waiting for me.

Red lentil soup is a major staple recipe at our house, it’s a nurturing soul food we always crave. This time I wanted to add a twist, and serve it with sautéed scallops.

The earthy texture from the legume and the supple consistency of the shellfish give a graceful combination. The tender scallops, not over done and perfectly seared, will definitely vow your taste buds. 

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
320g (3/4 lb) rinsed red lentils
1 bay leaf
1.2 liter (5 cups) vegetable/chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
12 fresh scallops, cleaned, with the corals attached

chopped coriander for garnish
 

Saute the onion in a large pot with some olive oil for 2 mn, add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the lentils then pour the stock and the bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper, and coriander powder. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat for around 20 mn, until the lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, cook the scallops. To do this, heat a large frying pan over a high heat without adding any fat. Dry the scallops and corals with kitchen paper. When the pan is searing hot, lightly brush them on both sides with the olive oil and season with salt and freshly milled black pepper.

Now add them to the pan and let them cook without moving for about 2 minutes, until the underside is dark brown and caramelised, then use a small palette knife to flip them over. Continue to cook for 1 mn on the other side, but no more. What you are aiming for is a golden, caramelised outside, with a soft and barely cooked inside. It’s important to have your frying pan really hot to get the dish right.

Once the lentils cooked, discard the bay leaf and puree the lentils. Spoon them in bowls, then arrange the scallops over the lentils. Garnish with chopped coriander. 

Velouté de lentilles corail et saint-jacques

Ingrédients (4 personnes):
1 oignon haché
2 gousses d'ail, écrasées
320g de lentilles corail
1 feuille de laurier
1.2 litre de bouillon de volaille
1/2 càc de coriandre moulue
sel et poivre, selon goût
2 càs d'huile d'olive
12 noix de saint-jacques

coriandre ciselée
 

Faites revenir les oignons dans une sauteuse avec un peu d'huile d'olive pendant 2 mn. Ajoutez l'ail et faites revenir 1 mn. Ajoutez les lentilles, le bouillon et la feuille de laurier. Assaisonnez de sel, de poivre et de coriandre moulue. Laissez frémir environ 20 mn jusqu'à ce que les lentilles soient tendres. 

Pendant ce temps, faites chauffer ine poêle à feu vif, sans ajoutez de matière grasse. Séchez les noix de saint-jacques et badigeonnez-les des 2 côtés avec de l'huile d'olive. et assaisonnez-les de sel et de poivre.

A l'aide d'un pinceau badigeonnez les noix de Saint Jacques d'huile d'olive de chaque côté.
Assaisonnez chacune d'elles de sel et de poivre puis poêlez-les 2 minutea de chaque côté dans la poêle assez chaude. 

Une fois les lentilles cuites, retirez la feuille de laurier et mixez les lentilles. Versez le velouté dans des bols et posez les noix de saint-jacques. Servez aussitôt parsemé de coriandre hachée.