Lentejas Recipes

LENTEJAS CON CHORIZO RECIPE (SIMPLE SPANISH LENTIL SOUP)

Steps:

• Rinse your lentils and look them over carefully for pebbles or debris.
• Since cooking the lentils is what takes the longest, start by covering them with cold water or stock and bringing to a simmer.
• Add the celery, aromatics, and ham bone and simmer as you prepare the sofrito (the lentils should take about 40 minutes to cook, though this depends on the variety - taste them often so that they don't overcook and become mushy).
• Cut 3/4 of the chorizo into rounds, place them in a heavy frying pan and turn up the heat. Sear the chorizo on each side, allowing the fat to render.
• Remove the chorizo from the pan and reserve for later. Mince the uncooked 1/4 of the chorizo for later use as well.
• In the pan with the chorizo grease, add 1/4 cup of olive oil over a medium heat
• Add the onions and cook slowly until starting to brown (about 7 minutes)
• Add the carrots and cook another 5 minutes or so, until everything is cooked through and golden
• Add the garlic for another couple of minutes
• Add the tomatoes, minced chorizo, tomato paste and roasted pepper paste
• Cook over medium heat, stirring, until completely reduced to a paste (sofrito)
• Add this sofrito mixture to the lentils, and simmer together until all of the flavors are well combined. Taste the lentils often to make sure you don't overcook them.
• Once cooked through, remove the aromatics and the celery from the pot and let the soup sit, uncovered, for as long as you can wait (the longer, the better combined the flavors will be)
• Serve hot and top with the seared chorizo and some pickled peppers if you can get them!
• Enjoy your homemade lentejas con chorizo!
• Tip: if you like a thicker version, remove a couple of ladles of lentils before adding the sofrito (make sure they're cooked through) and run this through the blender until smooth. Add back to the soup for a thicker version.

SOPA DE LENTEJAS (ANDALUCIAN LENTIL SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon just until it starts to brown a bit, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the olive oil, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, sausage, and bay leaf; cook about 4 minutes. Add lentils and water (water should be about an inch deeper than the level of the lentils). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Put the potatoes into the soup and continue simmering until potatoes are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

LENTEJAS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large pot, add water, lentils, half of the garlic, and sliced white onions.
• Cover it with a lid and let it simmer for 20- 22 minutes until the lentils become soft.
• Now, take out the lentils and the garlic from the pot and keep the remaining liquid aside.
• Season the lentils with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a pan. Toss in the bacon lardons and cook them for about 5- 6 minutes until they become soft.
• Add the chopped white onions to it and cook it for about 5- 6 minutes more.
• Then, add in the garlic and allspice and cook it for a minute.
• Also, add pineapple, plantain, and tomatoes to it.
• Cook it for 15- 16 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and the leftover liquid to it. Then, put in cilantro stems, halved jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook it until it becomes thick.
• When the soup is cooked, take out the cilantro stems, jalapeno, and bay leaf from it.
• Now, garnish with cilantro leaves and season it as per your taste. Your lentejas or lentil soup is ready to serve.