Lentils Stew with Smoked Bacon and Frankfurter
Be Lucky and Rich!
All countries have their own New Year’s food and traditions. Hungarians usually eat lentils on the first day of the year, as it is considered to bring good luck and money to their life. Lentils stew is not the prettiest food but it’s very delicious.
I didn’t break the tradition and I ate lentils of course. I am waiting for good luck and money very much after that crazy 2020.
Dutch tradition at wintertime is eating deep-fried dough balls known as oliebollen, watching fireworks on New Year’s Eve and diving in the very cold North-Sea and lakes or canals on 1st January. All events were cancelled because of the pandemic, except eating oliebollen. You could buy them almost everywhere in the city centre, in front of the supermarkets. Olieballen are sold from special colorful trucks.
Oliebollen are not healthy food because of the refined sugar, too much oil, and wheat flour, but they are undeniably delicious.
Lentils
Most of my recipes are absolutely paleo. This recipe is now an exception. Lentils are not paleo friendly. I make lentils only once a year not more. Legumes (peas, lentils, chickpeas etc.) are banned by paleo diet because of their high content of saponins. Saponins are antinutrients. They are found in almost all legumes. Saponins punch holes in the membranes lining the exterior of all cells. This effect is dose dependent. The damage will be greater in your body’s cells if you ingest more saponins. Our first line of defense against any antinutrient is our gut barrier. If we only eat legumes occasionally, our saponin damaged intestines will quickly repair itself. The risk for a leaky gut and the diseases associated with it is increased if we consume high amounts of legumes.
Why do we have to soak lentils in water?
Oligosaccharides of dry legumes are responsible for bloating after consumption. We will be able to digest soaked lentils more easily, especially if we pour the soaking water out and change that to chicken stock for cooking. The other reason of soaking is that lentils will need shorter cooking time to be soft. I soak the dry lentils in lukewarm water for at least one hour.
Tip!
Another delicious Hungarian Food
Lentils Stew with Smoked Bacon and Frankfurter
Ingredients
- 500 gram lentils
- 1 medium onion finely cut
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 slices smoked pork shoulder
- 4 Frankfurter or hot dog sausage
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 lemon juice
- Salt
Instructions
- Soak the lentils in lukewarm water for at least 1 hour then pour the soaking water out.
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in 2-liter pan. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
- Add paprika powder, stir it and add soaked lentils immediately.
- Add chicken stock (it has to cover the lentils), bay leaves, sliced smoked pork shoulders and cook on medium heat for about 25-30 minutes until the lentils are soft. Check it during the cooking and add water if the chicken stock is not enough. Lentils are swelling during the cooking.
- When the lentils are soft, take the pieces of meat to plate. I blend the lentils with immersion blender for 2 seconds. Not more! This time is enough to thicken the lentils stew. I do not use any thickener, it’s not necessary.
- Put back the meats to lentils. Taste it and season with salt if it’s necessary. Add lemon juice, stir and cook for 1 minute more. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add slices of bacon and fry them until golden brown. Set aside.
- Cut Frankfurter or hot dog sausages, three quarters of the way through, down the middle. Cross with vertical cuts, also only three quarters of the way through the sausages.
- Fry sausages in same frying pan until they open and golden brown. Check the picture!
- Serve lentil stew with a piece of cooked smoked shoulder, bacon and sausage. Enjoy!