Romesco Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• About 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon hot Spanish or Hungarian paprika, or regular sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup hulled red lentils, sorted to remove debris and rinsed
• 3 jars (12 oz. each) roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed of any charred bits
• 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
• About 1 1/3 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
• 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk
• About 1 tbsp. good-quality red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Roasted almond oil or extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1/2 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft, 5 to 10 minutes; reduce heat, if necessary, to keep onions from browning.
2. 2. Add garlic and cook, uncovered, until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in paprika and cook 1 minute. Add lentils, peppers, tomatoes, and 1 1/3 cups broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are extremely soft, about 30 minutes.
3. 3. In 3 batches, whirl soup in a blender until very smooth, at least 3 minutes per batch. Add dry milk and vinegar to the last batch. Stir together and season with salt and vinegar to taste; add a little more broth if soup seems too thick.
4. 4. Serve topped with a sprinkle of almonds and a drizzle of almond oil if you like.
5. Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1 1/2-cup serving.