Cook yourself slow soup: a basic recipe with tips for modifications

The woman at the grill
Lentil soup – with tips for modifications

By Anja Auer
06/01/2022, 2:50 pm (updated)

Lentil soup comes in countless variations. But they all have one thing in common: They are great for holding body and soul on the toes or for getting back on the toes. This post is about a basic recipe – and how the slow soup can be modified.

basic ingredients

Certainly lenses. Here everyone can choose their favorite variety from the supermarket shelf. Which is also good: some soup vegetable with either parsley or, depending on availability, maggi herb, ie lovaj. Garlic and onions should not be missed and a few bay leaves go well with it.

meat filling

This of course has to be decided before cooking. At least when it comes to the question: bacon – right or wrong? If so, it makes sense to fry it in the pan before adding it to the cooked lentils and thus giving it some roasted aromas on the way to the soup. And if you plan to add kabanossi to the soup during the cooking process: it is advisable to cut it into small pieces. The sausage gives excellent flavors to the soup. In addition, it is not necessary to cut the sausage on the plate or before serving.

Puree or not?

Question of taste: If you clean part of the soup (but please take the relevant part out of the pot, otherwise the sausage and laurel leaves will also be chopped) gives the soup a more creamy consistency. Of course you can play here: first clean 20 percent of the soup and mix it again. The consequence suits you: well. If not: Clean another 20 percent of the contents of the pot.

modifications

Now to the exciting part – because some may find the lentil soup too boring. Now there are, for example, the following options:

• The American variant: “Refine” with BBQ sauce and use minced meatballs as a meat filling.
• The Asian version: When the onions are sautéed, add ginger and lemon grass and season with coriander and cumin.
• The Spanish variant: Cut chorizo ​​into small pieces and let it boil.
• The Hungarian variant: Cut thin Hungarian salami into small pieces and add it to the cooking.

General information

Portions: 10
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 75 minutes

prepared

• Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan and boil the lentils, covered, along with the bay leaves and garlic cloves for about 30 minutes. (Remove any foam that forms during cooking with a cracked spoon.)
• Meanwhile, cut the vegetables into small cubes, as well as the smoked bacon.
• Put the bacon in a pan and pass the bacon cubes in it.
• Add the onions, sauté them and then add them to the pot with the potatoes and vegetables.
• Cut the kabanossi into slices and add them as well.
• Now all the ingredients are cooked with the lid closed and over medium heat for about 30 to 50 minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
• Then season with salt and pepper.

Anja Auer is editor-in-chief of BBQ & Food magazine “Die Frau am Grill”. Most recipes succeed not only on the grill, but also on the stove and in the oven. If you want to know more about it, you can watch the woman at the gate in action on YouTube or read her blog.

(This article was first published on Thursday, April 07, 2022.)