Armenian Lentil Soup

 Armenian cuisine has strong ties to cuisines of Turkey, Georgia, Persia, and Levant (once an empire in eastern Mediterranean). Flavor is based on the freshness of the ingredients rather than on the excessive use of spices.

սպ ապուր (Armenian)

/vosp apur/

Serves 4

1-2 cloves of press garlic

1 cup (910 g) dried organic lentils (black, green, or red), rinsed

4-5 cups (945-1180 ml) organic vegetable broth

1/2 cup (110 g) each: dried, chopped organic apricots & chopped onion

3 Tbs. (45 ml) olive oil

1 organic bell pepper, diced

3 1/2 cups/28-ounce (830 ml) fresh organic tomatoes

1 unpeeled organic eggplant, cut into cubes

1 Tbs. (15 g) organic own sugar, firmly packed

1 Tbs. (15 ml) vinegar

1/2 tsp. (2,5 ml) ground cinnamon

pinch or two: allspice or ground cloves & cayenne pepper (to taste)

4 Tbs. (60 ml) chopped parsley, mint, chives, or cilantro for garnish

optional: (dairy-free) sour cream or yogurt

մեկ /mek/ 1. Put the rinsed lentils in a pot with the broth and apricots. Bring to boil.
երկու /yerku/ 2. Then cover and reduce the heat to simmer about 20 minutes.
երեք /yerek’/ 3. Sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
չորս /ch’vors/ 4. Add the  remaining ingredients except the herbs.
հինգ /hing/ 5. Bring to a simmer, cover, cook for 10 minutes.
վեց /vets’/ 6. Add the vegetables mixture to the lentils and simmer for another 30 minutes or until  the lentils are tender.
յոթ /yot’/ 7. If the soup is too tick, add more broth.
ութ /ut’/ 8. Serve in bowls with optional sour cream or yogurt.
ինը /iny/ 9. Garnish with the herb(s)
տասը /tasy/ 10. Serve with dark bread.

Բարի ախորժակ

/bari akhorzhak/

Bon appétit

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Purée Broccoli

 Purée broccoli to add to other ingredients.

1. Finely chop 1 cup (200 g) organic broccoli.
2. Process until very fairly chopped.
3. Add to meat patties, meatballs, meatloaf, veggie burgers, etc. before cooking.
4. Add other finely chopped herbs of your choice, shredded carrots, or grand flax seed.
5. Cook and serve.

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Orange Marmalade Butter

 Orange marmalade is my favorite jam.-Mike

Mix it with butter and spade over toast, biscuits, muffins, endless usage.

Makes 1 1/4 cups (250 g)

JUST...

1 cup (240 ml) (dairy-free) unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup (60 ml) organic orange marmalade

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the butter until it is fluffy and smooth.

2. Add the marmalade and continue to whip.

3. Put in a serving bowl, cover, and chill until real to use.

4. Bring back to room temperature to serve.

5. Then, too, other jams make great jam-butter!!

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Stuffed Eggplant from Puglia, Italy

Puglia is located at the heel of the Italian peninsula. Though seafood, lots of vegetables, and olive oil are mainly found on the local menu, eggplant is popular as well.

Melanzane Ripiene Pugliesi (Italian)

Serves 6

(not dairy-free, 

but can be substituted with goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C)

6 small organic eggplants*, about 1 1/2 pounds/680 g)

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. (6,5 g) sea salt

2 chopped organic cloves of garlic

2 chopped organic tomatoes

1/4 tsp. (1,25 g) crushed red-pepper flakes

1 cup (130 g) grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 cup (130 g) grated Italian Fontina cheese (cow's milk cheese)

2 Tbs. (40 g) each chopped: mint and  parsley

uno 1. Cut the eggplants in half length-wise.

due 2. Scoop out any seeds, then the flesh, leaving a shell.

tre 3. Cut the eggplant flesh into small cubes.

quattro 4. In a skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs. (30 ml) olive oil.

cinque 5. Season the instead of the eggplant shells with 1 tsp. (2,25 g) salt.

sei 6. Brown them, cut side down, in the oil, about 2 minutes.

sette 7. Remove and place in an oiled baking dish, cut side up.

ptto 8. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil.

nove 9. Add the eggplant flesh and garlic.

dieci 10. Once the flesh begins to wilt, add the tomatoes and red pepper. 
undici 11. Cook until the eggplant is tender but the tomatoes are still retain their shape, about 5 minutes.

dodici 2. Scarp the mixture into a bowl, stir in half of the cheeses, parsley, and the mint.

tredici 13. Stuff the filling into the eggplant shells, top with the remaining cheeses.

quattordici 14. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

quindici 15. Uncover and bake until the eggplant shells are tender and the top is browned, about 10-15 more minutes.

*Choosing an eggplant:

• firm flesh
• no bruises
• glossy skin
• no blemishes
• tight skin so it "squeaks" when your rub it
• long green, not brown, steam means it was just picked

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Georgian Chilled Yogurt Soup

 I enjoy yogurt on fruit, in cereal, on waffles, diluted with water (aka Turkish ayran),  but I have not tried it as a soup.-Mike

There is more than cow's milk in this blended or chunky soup! 

P.S. Similar soups are Matnabrdosh (Armenian: Մատնաբրդոշ), Abdoogh Khiar ( ابدوغ خیار Persian), Cacık /jah-juhk/ (Turkish), and Dzhadzhik (Bulgarian: Джаджик), each with its own "yogurt". 

მაცვნისის წვნიანი (Georgian)

/matsvnisis ts'vniani/

Serves 4

Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

~Use organic as best as possible.~

2 cups (480 g) yogurt

1 cup (240 ml) water

grated cucumber

2 chopped green onions, both green and white

1 Tbs. (6 g) each chopped: dill, mint, coriander/cilantro/parsley, dill, garlic

mint leaves and chopped chives

optional: green chili to taste

ერთი /erti/ ა 1. Whisk the yogurt and water.

ორი /ori/ ბ 2. Whisk the rest of the ingredients except the mint and chives. 

სამი /sami/ გ 3. Mix in the yogurt. Blend or stay chunky.

ოთხი /otkhi/ დ 4. Refrigerate. 

ხუთი /khuti/ ე 5. Serve chilled with sprinkle of mint leaves and chopped chives.

Try another Georgian dish

Leeks with Walnut Pâte: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2026/02/walnut-paste-la-georgia.html

Soup with Fruits and Onions à la Georgian:  https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/2026/03/soup-with-fruits-and-onions.html

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