![Texas Chili](https://cdn.statically.io/img/static01.nyt.com/images/2014/02/12/dining/12JPCHILI1/12JPCHILI1-mediumThreeByTwo440.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
Texas Chili
Jennifer Steinhauer
4089 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
4,089
About 2 hours 30 minutes
Advertisement
Soak the lentils in water for 2 hours, then drain.
Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the onion and bay leaf. Sauté over medium-high heat until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add lentils, stock and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a large pinch of salt. Add the walnuts and work until finely ground. Add 2 tablespoons crème fraîche, mixing it in a teaspoon at a time, to form a paste.
Add the remaining ½ cup crème fraîche to the finished soup. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a large spoonful of walnut cream, a bit of ground pepper and, if desired, a sprinkle of parsley.
I've made this before using black (beluga) lentils - I don't think it's necessary to soak the lentils unless you want a more "mushy" lentil consistency.
The raw garlic/walnut paste makes this soup delicious. Add an extra clove of garlic to the paste. You won't be disappointed.
Advertisement