Lentil Stew with smoked sausages

© All rights reserved, Thorsten Kraska, 2009

Lentil Stew with smoked sausages (Linseneintopf mit geräucherten Würstchen) is one of the comfort dishes which is served in many different way in Germany in autumn and winter, when days are getting colder and shorter. I'm always varying it a bit and add more of this and less of that. The recipe here is more of a blueprint.


Linseneintopf mit geräucherten Würstechen
(for about 6 servings)

2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery
the leaves from 4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
300 g lentils (Pardina Lentils)
about 500 g canned tomatoes (cut into pieces or pureed)
about 700 ml beef broth
4 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
smoked sausages (the ones you like best)
a few tablespoons white wine vinegar (to taste)

Prepare the vegetables (put some carrot and celery pieces on the side for garnish). Wash lentils and let drip off in a sieve.

Heat olive oil in a suited pot. Add onions, garlic, carrot, thyme and bay leaves and cook until onions glasy (do not brown).

Now add lentils, celery, tomatoes and some of the broth. Bring to a boil and let cook on low to medium heat. Add as much broth as need to maintain a soupy consistency. After 20 minutes add the smoked sausage and cook until lentils are getting just soft (I like the lentils with a tiny bit of a bite). Add as much broth to get the consistency you like.

Add salt and ppper to taste. Add vinegar tablespoon by tablespoon until you get tartness you like. Lentil stew should have a tart taste. Garnish the soup with thyme leaves and some fresh carrot and celery pieces. If you like you can also add some fresh tomato pieces for garnish.

Serve stew hot with some rustic bread.