How do you make Spanish lentil stew?

Question

I just moved to Spain, and I had the most amazing lentil stew at a restaurant. I'd really like to be able to make it myself but I have no idea what ratios of ingredients to use. I remember it had lentils (duh!), potatoes, something that looked like sausage? and some meat that might have been salt pork or ham or something. There was more too, but I forget what it was. I do have access to a Spanish grocery store. If you know a recipe that uses all of these, please please please share!

Answer 1

There are many variations, here are some great recipes:

http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/index...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/v...

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lentil-Stew...

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/valenci...

http://www.euroresidentes.com/euroresiuk...

http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/sp-lentil...

http://principiagastronomica.com/post/22

http://www.recipezaar.com/139371

Answer 2

Spanish lentil and chorizo stew

serve four

150 g lentils

2 bay leaves

75 g Spanish chorizo, sliced

1/2 onion (preferably red), chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

200 g roasted and peeled chestnuts, chopped a bit

150 mL red wine

250 g canned tomatoes

1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

red chili flakes and salt to taste

Cook the lentils and bay leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still firm. Drain the lentils, saving the cooking water.

In the meantime, heat a splash of olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat and sauté the chorizo for a minute. Remove the chorizo and set it aside, then sauté the onion in the oil for about 10 minutes, until it’s soft. Add the garlic and sauté a minute or two, then add the chestnuts and cook them for a few minutes too.

Pour in the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, chili flakes if you’re using them, and salt to taste.

Simmer all of this until the mixture has thickened, roughly 15 minutes. Then stir in the lentils and as much lentil cooking water as you want (I make this like a thick lentil stew, but you can add more liquid if you want something more soup-like). Cook this together for another 10 minutes or so, adding the chorizo towards the end to heat it through. Season again if you need to.

SPANISH RECIPE FOR LENTIL STEW

(lentajas)

Many traditional Spanish dishes include pulses from lentils to all sorts of small or flat or large beans, chickpeas, rice etc.

  

Basic ingredients

250 gr. lentils

1 chorizo (or a few slices if you can't get a small sausage-shaped one)

100 gr. serrano ham

1 large onion

1 small glass of red wine

2 cloves (optional)

1 red pepper (optional)

Half a small glass of olive oil

1 bayleaf

2 large carrots

3 small potatoes

2 cloves garlic

1 pinch of saffron

fresh parsley

salt and pepper



Steps:

1. Soak the lentils for half an hour. Even though small lentils in packets usually don't need soaking, Spanish women tend to soak anyway

2. Cut the ham and chorizo into dice-shaped pieces. Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. Slice the carrots and halve the potatoes (unless they are very small). Wash and slice a small red pepper (optional).

3. Drain the lentils and put them in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover them and add the ham, chorizo, carrots, potatoes, bayleaf, pepper, parsley, a little salt, saffron and wine. Also add the cloves if you want the lentils to have a slightly spicey air to them. Put the pan over a low heat and cover.

4. Slice the onion and garlic and fry, stirring all the time. After a minute or so, add the sliced red pepper. This is optional and adds a slightly sweet flavour to the lentejas. When soft, add to the other ingredients in the saucepan.

5. Let the lentil stew simmer for at least 40 minutes. Boil off any excess liquid at the end.

hope these help.                     good luck and enjoy.