Cookbook:Lentil and Sausage Stew

| Germany

This lentil and sausage stew is intended for eating with spätzle. It is a slightly modified recipe; the traditional one has no tomato and honey. But, as with many "national meals," there are different opinions. Try different variations until you get your own taste for it; the most important things for a traditional taste are the vinegar and the bay leaves.

Ingredients

 * 250 grams dry brown lentils
 * 1 litre water for the lentils (needed for the sauce; don't use more)
 * 1 carrot, diced
 * 1 onion, chopped
 * 2–3 potatoes, peeled
 * 2 cloves of garlic
 * 2 pairs of scalded sausage, whole or in pieces
 * 1 large piece of smoked pork belly
 * >1 bay leaf
 * 40 grams butter
 * 40 grams flour
 * ½ litre water
 * 1 tablespoon tomato paste
 * 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
 * 1 teaspoon honey
 * about 1 teaspoon salt
 * Pepper

Special equipment

 * Medium-sized pot
 * Small pot
 * Sieve

Lentils

 * 1) Wash the lentils in sieve and cook them over low heat in the 1 litre of water for 40–50 minutes.
 * 2) About 20 minutes before the end of the cooking, add the carrot, onion, potatoes, garlic, sausages, bay leaf, and pork belly.
 * 3) After cooking, put the pot on the side and keep it warm.

Roux

 * 1) Melt the butter in the little pot, add the flour, and cook carefully until brown, stirring the whole time.
 * 2) Slowly and gradually add the ⅓ litre water, and bring to a boil.
 * 3) Add the tomato paste, vinegar, and honey. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
 * 4) Stir the sauce into the lentils, mix well, and keep warm.

Notes, tips and variations

 * Perhaps at first you will think, "how can vinegar go in this stew?"; you will be surprised how well it fits, so don't be shy with it. You can also serve additional vinegar along with the meal.
 * Before eating, pick out the bay leaves.
 * Like many stews, lentil stew should be re-heated and tastes better the next day.