Looks aren't everything when it comes to food. Sometimes presentation is the key. With stews, it's best to serve them with other side dishes to increase their visual appeal, especially when having a dinner party or small soiree.
Although this is an easy-to-prepare meal, the hardest part is in the making of the roux.
The Roux
A roux is a thickening agent that adds volume to your stew. Usually a mixture of butter and flour, here we also add paprika to create a slightly tangy flavour. When heated, the starch molecules in the flour and paprika break down and bond to the rest of the mixture, making the meal more filling.
Notes
- When cooking the lentils, be careful not to over-boil it when cooking the onions and bay leaves. The lentils will become very soft and turn into mush after further cooki
- When cooking the roux, do NOT use a high heat, as burnt paprika will ruin the taste. Use a medium heat.
Ingredients
- * 300 gram packet of lentils, preferably the brown or green kind.
- * 1 to 1 ½ tblspoons of vinegar
- * 6 tblspoons of oil
- * 2 tblspoons of flour
- * ½ tblspoon of paprika
- * 200ml of sour cream
- * 2 brown onions
- * 3-4 bay leaves
- * 1 tblspoons of salt
- * 1 tblspoons of sugar
Instructions
These instructions are in two parts. First we simmer the lentils once they're cooked properly, then cook our roux at the end of this process and add it into the lentils. In aid of this, the recipe has been split into two parts.
Part 1 - Lentils
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°c (or 360°f).
- Put 1 packet of lentils in pot, fill up with water and wash well. Then drain water.
- Chop 2 onions and put in pot. Add 3 bay leaves.
- Fill up the pot with water until the lentils are fully immersed. Then fill the pot with another 2/3 of a finger of water (actually dip your finger in to check).
- Let it boil until the lentils swell up. Add more water until again the lentils are fully immersed. Bring the heat down until the pot is simmering.
- Using a spoon, taste a lentil or two. If they’re still crunchy, continue cooking. You’ll need to simmer them for about an hour.
- After they’re cooked, add 1 tblspoon of sugar and 1 to 1 ½ tblspoons of vinegar.
- We cook the roux (see below) and then add it to the lentils, stirring in while the stew is simmering. Add the salt and a dollop of sour cream, and continue stirring. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
Part 2 – The Roux
- In a little pan, add the oil and warm on medium heat. Then add the flour, stir until the mixture is a light brown, and then the paprika.
- Keep stirring until the entire mixture is a golden- to red-brown, being careful not to leave any lumps. Cook until small bubbles appear.
Afterthoughts
This lentil recipe makes enough meals for a small family to eat comfortably for at least 3 nights. In presentation, this stew looks quite simple, and would go well with bread, salad, and a meat side dish (preferably lamb).
Part 1 - A Simple Corn, Onion and Ham Quiche
Part 3 - A Simple Potato Salad Recipe
Part 4 - A Simple Chicken Risotto Recipe
