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Southern Lentil Stew

Writer's picture: Khalieb RufaelKhalieb Rufael

First, This is the Recipe for a Simple Lentil Stew. My mother taught me how to make a vegetarian version of this amazing dish. I love my mother for many reasons and one of those is introducing me to vegan and vegetarian food. Oftentimes, people (non-vegan) have mixed perceptions about vegan food, believing that, for some reason, it will be somewhat lacking in substance or be missing essential flavors than its animal based counterpart. I think it’s best to leave those people to believe what they want, in the end, more food for us! After trying this recipe, you too will understand why I say that.


With that being said, I also learned an incredible lentil stew recipe while staying on a farm in the Aix-en-Provence of France, but this recipe contained Lardon. Lardon is smoked pork belly (Bacon) cut into little match sticks, rather than long thick strips like American Bacon. The smoky flavor of the meat adds an incredible bite to the stew, and not to mention, an aroma that will drag you from distance to see what is cooking. If you’re not comfortable eating pork, for whatever reason you may have, and you still want the same effect, I recommend using smoked turkey pieces instead.


It was taught to me by both my Mother and my host in Aix-en-Provence to soak the lentils in cold water, at least 4 hrs before cooking. This is done because the outer shell of the lentils may contain anti-nutrients that can interfere with or slow down digestion. You can avoid that by buying canned lentils, but I must point out that they don’t have equal nutritional value, plus, you would be missing out on all the fun of waiting and anticipating such an incredible dish.

This recipe should yield about 10 servings of Stew. I always recommend seasoning to taste and taste as you go! Don’t be afraid to dip a clean spoon into the pot and taste as you cook. It may be an uncomfortable practice at first, but over time it will improve all of your dishes by ten fold! Lets get started!


INGREDIENTS:

Okay! Let us begin. You will need before we start:

  • 1 cup of Green (or Red) Lentils

  • 2-3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (1 tbsp of Knorr Chicken Flavoring) & 3 cups of Water or 3 cups of Chicken Stock

  • 3 Stalks of Celery

  • 1 Green Bell Pepper

  • 1 Yellow Onion

  • 1 Large Carrot

  • 3 Sweet or Russet Potatoes

  • 4 Cloves of Garlic

  • 1 Smoked Turkey Tail (Optional)

  • A few leaves of fresh Sage

  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

  • Cayenne Pepper

  • 1 tbsp Curry or Garam Masala

PROCEDURE:

  1. Start by adding your pre soaked lentils into your 3 cups of water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. These should boil until soft which may take around 30-40 min with occasional stirring..

  2. At this time, if you choose to use smoked meat such as turkey tails or a turkey leg, I recommend pre boiling it in a separate pot, before adding it to the lentils. It gives you a chance to pick through it for any bones and/or cut into ideal sized pieces, however this part is not necessary, seeing that if you cook the meat long enough, it will break down into smaller pieces itself.

  3. In another pan, sauté your Holy Trifecta (celery, bell pepper, and onion) until brown while seasoning with salt, then add your garlic & sage and sauté for around 5 minutes.

  4. Prepare your carrots and potatoes by cutting into relatively small but equal sized pieces.

  5. Try and press a few lentils against the side of the pot with your stirring spoon. When they smash easily, you’ll know it's time to add in your sautéed veggies and carrots and potatoes (as well as turkey meat). Now is a great time to add season and then taste.

  6. 15-20 minutes later, when your carrots and potatoes reach the proper level of doneness, have a quick taste for salt, and your stew is ready to eat.

I hope you enjoy cooking these lentils and add different spices and veggies as you like. It's important that after making it, you share it with your family and loved ones so it will continue to get passed down.

Stay tuned for many more recipes to come.

Love,

Chef Khalieb Rufael

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