Pomegranate Soup

Fall is just around the corner and at least in Philadelphia, the temperature will begin to drop soon, little by little. Since that's the case, fall is a great time for soups and this one is a favorite of mine. Here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it. More soup recipes to come!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup lentils,
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups (2 quarts) water
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup pomegranate juice 
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 2 teaspoons crushed dried leaf mint
• 2 Tablespoons raisins

Preparation:

Rinse lentils several (4-5) times. Set aside to drain.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add sweet onions and toss to coat. Gently saute onions until soft, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and saute 2 additional minutes.

Add water, drained lentils, rice, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer on low about 45 minutes, until lentils and rice are tender.

Add basil, green onions, and pomegranate juice to the soup. Simmer an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet, add mint and saute until butter turns golden.

Divide soup into serving bowls. Drizzle each with the mint brown butter and sprinkle with a few raisins to serve.

This makes 6 to 8 servings depending o the size of the bowl you use.