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1
Combine all of the dry herbs and spices together in a small bowl.
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2
Mix well and set aside.
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3
Heat butter and oil in soup pot.
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4
When butter is foamy, add the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots.
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5
Cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
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6
Add the cubed sweet potato and lentils, cooking another 5 minutes, or until the sweet potato has brightened in color and is just turning golden on the edges, stirring occasionally.
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7
Add the roasted and fresh bell peppers and your dry seasonings to the mix, stirring well to distribute the spices throughout.
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8
Cook another 3 to 5 minutes, or until spices are fragrant.
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9
Deglaze your pot with about a half cup of the vegetable stock/broth, scraping up all of the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot.
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10
Add the remaining stock/broth and increase the heat to medium-high.
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11
Bring vegetables and stock to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils and rest of the vegetables are soft, about 35 minutes.
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12
Stir whenever you think about it.
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13
Puree the softened vegetables to your desired consistency.
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14
The easiest way is with an immersion blender, but you may also puree the soup in small batches in a blender or food processor.
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15
Be careful, as it is very hot!
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16
For the absolute smoothest soup, you can run the puree through a food mill or fine strainer, pressing it through with the back of a spoon.
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17
Discard solids.
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18
Add the coconut milk and the orange juice, stirring well to blend.
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19
Bring soup back up to a gentle simmer, and let cook another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
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20
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
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21
It may need a bit more salt, or more hot sauce if you like spicy dishes.
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22
This is delicious as is, or made even richer with a dollop of sour cream.
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23
Garnish with some chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley if you have it.
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24
Enjoy!