Lentil Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 250 g brown lentils
• 2 carrots
• 0.25 head of celeriac
• 1 large onion
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 100 g smoked pork belly, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g beef shoulder, pre‑cut
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 900 ml meat broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 peppercorns
• Salt
• ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1.

   Soak the lentils overnight. Peel and finely dice the carrots, celeriac, onion, and garlic. Dice the pork belly into small cubes and render them in a pot with 2 tbsp oil. Remove and set aside. Wash the beef, pat dry, cut into bite‑sized pieces, and sear in batches in the pork fat until browned. Add the vegetables and pork back to the pot, sauté briefly, stir in the tomato paste, then pour in the broth. Return the beef to the pot and simmer over medium heat for about 1½ hours.

2. 2.

   After half of the cooking time, add the well‑drained lentils and a spice sachet containing bay leaf and peppercorns, and continue cooking until tender. Remove the spice sachet, season the stew with salt, pepper, and dark balsamic vinegar to taste, then ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving. Offer fresh baguette on the side if desired.