Lentil Stew Provence style

Lentil on New Year should bring good luck and financial stability. The tradition of eating lentils on these days can be found from Germany down to Italy.

I decided to take the same path, but my lentil dish is from the South of France, the Provence.

It is usually a vegetarian dish, but my fridge had some sausages left over from other dishes, that needed a purpose.

I used the famous French Pui lentils. This are green lentils that need a long time to cook.

To speed up the process and to make them easier to digest, I soaked them in water over night

Recipe for 4;

150 g Pui lentils

1 large carrot

2 celeri sticks

3 small potatoes

2 small onions, 1 green onion

3 cloves of garlic

6 tiny chilis

1 bay leaf

100 ml tomato passata

2 tbsp tomato paste

Herbes de Provence

Salt, pepper, smoked paprika

100 ml white wine

2 tbsp olive oil

700 ml veg stock from paste

Creme fraiche or sour cream

In a large pot heat up the oil and start with onions and garlic. After 3 min toss in the other veggies. Give them 3 more min and stir well. Season. 

Add tomato paste and cook it, then the passata and the wine. Pour in the stock and the lentils.

Bring to a boil, add chilis and bay leaf. Cover and reduce the heat and cook for 35 min.

Check the seasoning and serve with creme fraiche.