Lamb Chili With Lentils
Updated February 22, 2016
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds lean lamb, preferably from the leg, coarsely ground or cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 cups finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons chile powder
1 teaspoon crumbled fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
2 bay leaves
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth, fresh or canned
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup dried green lentils
Sour cream for garnishing
Limes for garnishing
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
34 grams carbs; 88 milligrams cholesterol; 920 calories; 33 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams saturated fat; 81 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 842 milligrams sodium; 17 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, and add the meat. Cook over medium-high heat for three or four minutes, stirring with a heavy metal kitchen spoon to break up any lumps.
- Step 2
Add the onions, garlic, celery, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, cumin and chile powder, and stir to blend well. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Step 3
Add the oregano, bay leaves, tomatoes and chicken broth along with 1 cup water and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Step 4
Place the lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups of water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Drain.
- Step 5
Add the lentils to the meat mixture. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove bay leaves. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, and wedges of lime if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
This has become a winter staple in my kitchen. I make a big batch and put portions in the freezer. Heat it up for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner To make it healthier, I double the amount of lentils and halve the amount of ground lamb. Lamb is so flavorful, you really don't need to use a lot.
This recipe seems a bit dated - it's from 1993, when American palates were blander. I ended up adding sambal and sriracha. Next time I'll try it with diced rather than ground lamb, increase all spices, and include corriander, chopotle, and get to a more robust version. I love the mix of lentils and lamb.
Would recommend skimming off some of the fat before adding the spices. Used a baster, which worked well.
Delicious!
I modify this recipe slightly as the Hubby and I like a thicker chili. I only cook the lentils boiling for about 10 minutes. Then I drain the lentils, keeping the lentil water separate. I then put the lentils in the boiling pot with about 1.5 cups of the lentils water and let the whole thing boil for 20 mins. After that, ramp down from a boil for about another 10 minutes. It produces a good thicker style chili! Love, love, love!
Well…this was terrific. Made exactly as written, and everyone loved it. I might up the spices a bit next time, but it’s not really necessary, and this is a lovely way to highlight lamb. Yum! Will make again.
I used one lb of ground lamb. It looked more like a lentil soup. Served plain I wasn't impressed but with sour cream, lime, and fresh avocado it was amazing!