Lentil stew à la Aunt Luzie

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g lentils
• 1 ½ liters of water
• 2 carrots
• 3 m.-sized potatoes
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 250 g smoked pork, streaky
• 250 g breakfast bacon
• 3 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 tbsp, leveled flour
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or regular vinegar

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Simmer the lentils, potatoes, carrots (both diced), leeks (sliced), and smoked pork and bacon (both diced) over low heat for about 1 hour. Sauté the diced onions in margarine or oil in a pan. After sautéing, stir in the flour and simmer gently for about 3 minutes with the broth from the pot. Then add the ketchup and vinegar, stir to combine, and use this mixture to thicken the lentil stew. Season to taste; I don’t add anything because the salty meat and the mixture of ketchup and vinegar are perfect for our taste. I saved this recipe from my late Aunt Luzie and inherited it from my mother. Since it brings back many memories and I’ve now captured her childhood taste, I wish everyone bon appetit, and I’m sure Aunt Luzie would have loved it. We simply serve it with brown bread and butter.