Pink Lentil Soup with Lamb Kofte

For the caramelized onions: 

1. Warm the oil over low heat in a large skillet.
2. Add the onions and a couple pinches of salt.
3. Cook over low heat, stirring periodically, until the onions are completely brown and almost spreadable, about three hours. Caramelized onions freeze well and will keep for a few months. Makes about 1 ½ cups.

For the soup: 

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the lentils, carrot, garlic, cumin seeds, salt, and caramelized onions.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrot begins to soften, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the chicken stock and turkey wings, if you like.
5. Raise the heat to high, and bring to a simmer.
6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lentils have fallen apart and the flavors have thoroughly blended, about 1 ½ hours.
7. Discard the turkey wings, if using.
8. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth, adding up to 1 cup water to thin the soup to the desired consistency.

For the lamb kofte: 

1. Combine the lamb, onion, parsley, salt, sugar, black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, and club soda in a large bowl.
2. Mix gently by hand until well blended.
3. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic onto the surface of the mixture, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. Working with damp hands, form the mixture into logs about 1" in diameter and 3" long.
5. Arrange on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To cook the kofte: 

1. Heat ¼" oil in a large skillet until shimmering but not smoking.
2. Add the kofte and sauté until nicely brown on all sides but still rare in the middle, about three minutes total.

To wrap and bake the kofte: 

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Add cabbage leaves and cook for two minutes, until softened.
4. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water to chill, remove, and pat dry.
5. Cut away and discard the tough vein at the bottom of each leaf.
6. Wrap the kofte burrito style, and arrange in a small baking dish.
7. Lightly brush the wrapped kofte with oil and bake until the lamb is just cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Reheat the soup, ladle it into wide, shallow bowls, and slide in the lamb kofte.

Excerpted with permission from ZAHAV by Michael Solomonov. Copyright © 2015 by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Photography © 2015 by Mike Persico. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.