Hungarian Lentil Soup Recipes

HUNGARIAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, saute the onions in oil until they are glossy. Stir in garlic, paprika, celery, carrots, and saute for 10 minutes.
• Once the vegetables have sauteed for 10 minutes stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour on low to medium heat; or until the lentils are tender.
• Sprinkle the soup with parsley and Parmesan (optional) before serving.

HUNGARIAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Make croutons: melt butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and stir gently until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set side.
• Melt 1 T. butter in heavy Dutch oven over mediium heat. Add ham and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups stock, lentils, chili, and savory. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender but firm to bire, stirring occasionall, about 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and bell pepper. Stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir mixture into soup. Add enough stock to cover.
• Wipe out skillet. Add 3 T. butter and melt over medium-low heat. Add flour and stir until light, about 6 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups stock. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Add to soup. Stir in the tomato puree and 3 T. vinegar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thin soup to desired consistency with stock. Season with remaining 1 T. vinegar, salt and generous amount of pepper. Discard chili. Garnish soup with Sauteed Croutons and serve.

HUNGARIAN HOT SAUSAGE AND LENTIL STOUP

Steps:

• Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, then add sausage to pot and brown and crumble it, then add garlic, onions and mushrooms. Cook a few minutes, then add carrots, lentils, potato, salt and pepper, bay leaf, paprika or substitute mixture and rosemary (leaves will fall from stems as stoup cooks). Add tomatoes and broth and cover pot then raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and place heat back a bit but keep stoup at a good rolling boil. Cook 15 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender. Wilt in greens in small bunches, remove rosemary stems and turn off heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with bread and butter to mop up stoup. Reheat leftovers thinning it with broth or water.

HUNGARIAN LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• If desired, place lentils in a bowl with water to cover, and soak overnight; this step may be skipped, but makes lentils more digestible.
• Place a large (5- to 6-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat, and add oil and onion. Sauté until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and paprika, and sauté until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute more. Add lentils, 8 cups water and bay leaves. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 50 minutes; add water as needed if mixture seems too thick.
• When lentils are tender, in a small bowl stir together sour cream, flour and milk. Add to lentils and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt, brown sugar, mustard and lemon juice, adjusting amounts as needed for a slightly piquant flavor. If desired, remove and discard bay leaves. Serve hot.

RACHAEL RAY'S HUNGARIAN SAUSAGE AND LENTIL STOUP

Steps:

• In a medium sized pot, simmer lentils in chicken stock.
• In a second pot, sauté sausage in olive oil.
• Add garlic, onions and mushrooms to the sausage. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add carrots, lentils, potato, salt and pepper, bay leaf, paprika (or substitute mixture) and rosemary to sausage pot. Don't worry about the woody rosemary stems - the leaves will fall off as it cooks.
• Add tomatoes to sausage pot. Bring to a good rolling boil and boil for 15 minutes.
• Combine the two pots.
• Wilt the greens in and remove the rosemary stems. Let sit 5 minutes off the heat before serving.