Lentil and Chorizo Stew

I might be the only person eating a hearty winter stew when it’s 32ºC / 90ºF outside.

This happens when you participate in Sunday Supper and the theme is stick-to-your-bones food. Thanks for modern comforts like the air conditioning. Today our host is Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen and the list of recipes is absolutely soul warming.

It all started years ago.

First, because I simply love lentils, and second because I have an on again, off again iron deficiency which compels me to eat meat and things like lentils, spinach, blood sausage. It’s the way to keep the levels normal and avoid that slump bordering depression that happens when your blood doesn’t have enough iron. If you ever experienced this you’re nodding and if you haven’t you’re lucky and go on with your life.

• Sausage – it has to have what we here call red sausage, which is Spanish sausage in many countries. It has peppers and pork, a dark reddish color (hence the name) and a very particular flavor. Of course, any kind of sausage you like a lot will work I guess, but I don’t know since I don’t even bother making this recipe if I don’t find red sausage.
• Bacon – thick slices of bacon are diced or cut into strips and added to the lentil stew. The fats render while the pot simmers away and the flavor it lends is unique. It makes the stew rich and smoky.
• Vegetables – we all agree carrots should be part of this recipe. I personally am a huge fan of adding sweet potato, a small one, but necessary to balance the fat and spiciness. Some don’t agree. It’s an either/or situation among my friends.

Let’s talk about different types of lentils

My best advice for enjoying lentil stew:

Eat it the next day

Stews, in general, are usually better the next day, or even the day after the next. I like to take it even further by cooking it until it’s just done until the lentils are almost al dente. I then leave the whole thing to cool in the pot until the next day, and I cook it again for half an hour or more, depending on how I want the lentils. That overnight rest deepens the flavor as only time can. They become friends and exchange subtleties until the flavor is perfect. This is especially important with the chorizo and the bacon. They will lose some of their fat slowly and it will become part of the juices. Simply wonderful.

And lentil stew can be frozen. So keep a few containers with the right servings and enjoy it any time you want!

So that you get one last picture, I sat down to eat and was managing fine until halfway through, then it was a matter of turning on the a/c a bit higher and my hair up in a messy ponytail if I wanted to finish my bowl. See how much I love my

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LENTIL AND CHORIZO STEW

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 40
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Stewing
• Cuisine: Regional

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Description

This is my best version of one of my favorite foods ever!.  It’s best to eat it the next day.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs canola oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• ½ small red pepper (seeded and finely chopped)
• ½ cup chopped celery stalks
• 1 medium carrot (peeled and finely chopped)
• About 4 cups veal broth
• 2 cups lentils
• 1 ½ cups canned tomatoes (chopped with juice)
• 4 oz. bacon (coarsely chopped)
• 4 oz. red or spanish chorizo (coarsely chopped)
• 1 Tbs smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)

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Instructions

1. In a large pot with lid, heat oil and sweat onion, pepper and celery. Don’t brown. Add salt and pepper, carrots and 2 cups broth, and cook, partially covered for 10 minutes over low heat.
2. Add 1 more cup broth, lentils, and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. While this is cooking, in a small skillet cook chorizo and bacon for 2 or 3 minutes, until they are a bit brown and have released some fat.
4. Add them to the pot together with the paprika and another cup of broth. Keep on cooking everything for the thirty minutes specified before.
5. Check to see if the lentils are cooked. Add more broth if necessary, check seasonings and cook more time if the lentils need it.
6. Laddle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
7. Or better yet, let it stand until the next day, reheat it and eat it.

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Paula Montenegro

A baker for more than 30 years, I love testing recipes and sharing the best of what I find. I'm mostly self-taught with some time spent in baking school. I believe we can all be bakers and cooks with the right instructions and simple ingredients. If you're craving easy recipes with amazing results, you're in the right place. Let's get into the kitchen!