Moroccan chickpea and lentil soup

One word.... AMAZING

This dish is totally VEGETARIAN/VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, WHEAT FREE AND DAIRY FREE For all of our friends with diet restrictions. Honestly the flavors in this soup will make even the biggest meat eaters say YUM

This soup is topped with Chermoula, for those who are unfamiliar with this marinate or mixture...

Chermoula (Arabic: شرمولة:‎) or chrmla is a marinade used in Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. It is usually used to flavor fish or seafood, but it can be used on other meats orvegetables.

Chrmla is often made of a mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, pickled lemons, garlic, cumin, andsalt. It may also include onion, fresh coriander, ground chili peppers, black pepper, or saffron.

There are many different recipes that use different spices, and the proportions vary widely. In most recipes, the first two ingredients are garlic and coriander.

A Moroccan version comprises dried parsley, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper. It is the original seasoning for grilling meat and fish in Moroccan cuisine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chermoula

Orginally posted by Whole Foods Market, modified by Daniela.

What you'll need:

• The Chermoula
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and deveined
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch cilantro
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• The Soup
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes, with their liquid (I used fire roasted tomatoes) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used fresh grated ginger) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• pinch of saffron threads (optional)
• 4 cups gluten-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup dried lentils (green, brown, red or yellow) (I used red as they are higher in protein and fiber)
• 4 sprigs cilantro
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 cup escarole lettuce rough chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 
  
• The chermoula: 
• Mix 4 tablespoons of the oil, cumin, garlic, jalapeños, and lemon juice in a food processor to make a purée. Pick cilantro leaves from their stems and add to food processor along with zest and salt and pepper. Pulse mixture a couple of times, scraping it down from the side of the bowl in between pulses. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed. The mixture should resemble a rustic pesto. Place in tightly closed container and refrigerate for up to two days. 

The soup:

Heat oil in a 4-quart pot with over medium heat. Add fennel and gently cooking for a couple of minutes while the fennel releases its natural juices. Add red and white onions and cook until soft and translucent, stirring mixture from time to time, about 12 minutes. Add tomatoes with their liquid and increase heat to high until the mixture comes to a simmer. Add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and saffron, if using, and let them infuse the mixture with their flavors for a few more minutes. 

Add broth, lentils, cilantro and parsley sprigs, and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, stirring the mixture a couple of times. Cover pot and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Add chickpeas and escarole and cook, uncovered, for another 5 to 7 minutes until heated through. Mix well and season again with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves, cilantro, and parsley. Serve soup hot, with 1 tablespoon of the reserved chermoula on top, if desired.