Hungarian Lentil Soup (Lencseleves)

Authentic Hungarian Lentil Soup (Lencseleves)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. dried lentils, washed and drained (2 1/4 cups dried)
• 1/4 cup of lard, bacon drippings, or oil (alt: coconut oil)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 parsnip or parsley root, sliced into rounds
• 2 medium carrots, chopped into rounds
• 10-12 cups water
• several whole black pepper corns
• 2 bay leaves
• 3-4 Tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika 
• 1-2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp hot pepper flakes 
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley 
• 1 large potato, peeled and grated
• 1 small potato cut into small cubes
• 2 large links, or 4 small links smoked sausage, skin pricked with fork cut into rounds (or link of Kielbasa cut into thin rounds) 
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp. salt to taste - add at end to prevent lentils from getting tough

Method:

1. In a large pot, heat fat and add carrots, root vegetable and onions. Saute until onions are golden.

2. Grate and dice potato. Cover in water to keep from turning brown.

3. Add lentils, water, celery, and seasonings.

4. Add potato (with potato water) into the mixture and add sausage.

5. Simmer covered 1 hour until lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves.

Serve with a crusty bread and salad.

Mongol Soup
If you add one can of tomato paste and two cans of water to the above soup and puree it, you will have made another soup called Mongo Soup. Try it, it is good.

Serves 6.


• 1 cup dry lentils = 2 to 2-1/2 cups cooked 
• 1 pound dried lentils = 2-1/4 cups dry 
• 1 pound dried lentils = 4 servings 
• 1 pound dried lentils = 5 cups cooked