Lentil Soup with Middle Eastern Flavors and Meyer Lemons

In a heavy soup pot, add the olive oil, raise the heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes until softened, but not colored.
Add the butternut squash, carrots and leeks, give a stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the Baharat Seasonings and stir for 1 minute to incorporate the flavors.

Add the lentils, broth and pear. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the soup.
Cook for 20 minutes, until the lentils have softened, and the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Add the meyer lemon juice, meyer lemon rind and salt (will depend on the saltiness of your broth), stir well.

Cool slightly, and whirl 1/3 of the soup in a blender until smooth. Add to the pot and stir well.
I like the soup with a creamy base, but with a lot of texture. Taste for salt.

Garnish:
I quickly make a Raw Gremolata.
In a small bowl mix together: 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, 1t. grated lemon rind, 1 T. lemon juice, 3 T. chopped parsley, a pinch hot pepper flakes, 1 t. minced onion and a pinch of sea salt.

To serve:
Ladle the warm soup into individual bowls. Swirl a teaspoon of Gremolata on top of the soup, garnish with a parsley sprig.
Enjoy!

To serve:
Ladle the warm soup into individual bowls. Swirl a teaspoon of Gremolata on top of the soup, garnish with a parsley sprig.
Enjoy!

*Baharat Seasoning- Middle Eastern Spice: A wonderful pungent blend of pepper, paprika, ground cloves, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander and chiles.
Can find online, at gourmet markets or at good specialty spice shops (http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/salt-free-baharat)
Alternately, (if you can not find the seasoning- use a handful of the spices on the list to create a great flavor.)