Ever come across a recipe that sounds so weird, you have to make it?

It happened to me, again… I get a daily email from La Cucina Italiana – in Italian, of course… I subscribed to the print version of the English edition for years – and then, one day, Conde Nast decided to stop producing it. Grrrrrr…..

The daily newsletter arrives and it had several Lentil Soup recipes. None of them were much different than my basic, but one did have a really unique twist – dadini di mais – what the web translator calls “corn cubes“. Naturally, I had to give it a try!

And… I’m really glad I did. Not only were they a really fun and different sort of crouton, but Victor is going to add them to our version of his mom’s turkey stuffing! Total fun!

 

While the soup was simmering away, I made the cubes. The batter is a cross between an omelette and a pancake. I cooked it in a well-seasoned cast iron pan – and to my utter surprise and delight, I was able to flip it without destroying it or the stove!

Then it was cut into cubes…

 

and fried in a bit more butter util they were a bit crisp.

 

It was a fun meal that really didn’t take a lot of time to do. The recipe is a translation from the original Italian, so it’s a bit wonky for those who aren’t familiar with translated recipes… where amounts are not given, the item is either listed in the instructions or to your own preference.

 Lentil Soup with Corn Cubes

adapted from La Cucina Italiana

  • 400g green lentils
  • 100g carrot
  • 100g leek
  • 100g fresh cream
  • 90g onion
  • 75g flour 00
  • 50g celery
  • 500g diced ham
  • 50g corn meal
  • 4 eggs
  • laurel
  • nutmeg
  • butter
  • shallot
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • Pepper

Soak the lentils for 2 hours, then rinse and drain them. (Using Italian lentils – those in the USofA do not require soaking.)

Chop celery, carrot, onion and leek and sauté them for 4-5 minutes in a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of oil, a bay leaf and the ham cut into strips.

Add the lentils and about 2 liters of water and cook for 40 minutes.

Mix the corn flour with the 00 flour; Add the eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix with a whisk.

Sauté a sliced shallot in a pan with a knob of butter, then add it to the egg mixture then pour the latter into the pan where you browned the shallot.

Cook it with the heat on low and the lid on for about 2 and a half minutes on each side, like an omelette.

Cut the omelette into cubes and toast them in a pan with a little butter, over high heat, with a pinch of salt: they will become crispy and tasty.

Season the lentil soup with salt and serve it with diced corn.

 

Crispy and tasty, they definitely are. They were a fun addition to dinner – and a big bowl  with the corn cubes came in at just over 400 kcal! Not bad, at all!