Swabian sour lentils

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 onions
• ½ stalk(s) leek
• 2 carrots
• 3 slices celeriac
• 300 g lentils (Alb-Lentils)
• 1 piece(s) smoked meat
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 piece(s) butter, approx. 4 tbsp
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 carnations

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Finely dice the leeks, carrots, and celeriac. Stick the cloves into the peeled onions. First, sauté the onions and bacon in a pan with oil, then add the diced vegetables. Then add the lentils and bay leaves and sauté briefly. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Then add the stock and simmer gently with the lid closed until the lentils are soft (they can be “al dente”). Melt the butter in a second small saucepan and then add the flour. Simmer the roux until dark brown (don’t be afraid—this is where the flavor develops). Then stir the roux with a ladleful of stock and add it to the pan with the lentils. Simmer briefly again. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper. The lentils taste best with Wiener sausages (Saiten) and homemade spaetzle.