Lola's Yummy Spanish Lentils
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 45mins or so
- Servings: 8
- Preparation Time: 20mins
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 small onions, cut in quarters
- 1/4 cup tomato passata sauce
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (not too small)
- Good lug of EV Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon saffron (preferably immitation saffron powder as it gives a better colour)
- sprinkle of paprika (the sweet is better than the smoked, but whatever you prefer)
- 2 beef stock cubes
- packet of Lentils - use about 1/2 to 3/4 of a packet
- Bunch of Silverbeat
- 2 spanish Chorizo sausages sliced in similar size to your veges. (optional) omit if you want a vegetarian version and slightly healthier, lower in fat option.
DIRECTIONS
- Put the lentils in a pot and cover in boiling water. Cover, wait for it to boil and then boil them for a couple of minutes.
- Drain and discard the water. Rinse them under cold water. Put aside.
- Cook the carrots, onions, potatoes in the olive oil until they develop a little bit of colour and start to cook slightly (maybe 5mins).
- Add the chorizo and cook until fragrant and slightly coloured also.
- Add the tomato passata, saffron, paprika and stock cubes.
- Wash the silverbeat with water and white wine vinegar (this apparantly helps to remove sand).
- Cook the silverbeat in boiling water for around 5 minutes, drain and discard water. Rinse and put in the pot with the vegetables.
- When the potato is about half cooked, add the lentils to the pot and cover with water.
- Cook until tender (season if you feel it necessary to - I only add maybe a touch of salt but that's all)
- Enjoy with yummy crusty bread : )
- DELCIOSO!!!
RECIPE BACKSTORY
This recipe comes from my gorgeous Spanish mother in law Lola - when we lived with her (her son (my hubby) and I) it was a favourite of ours and now continues to be in our home as well with our 3 kiddies too - they love it and it's sooooo delicious as well as good for you : ) It's a meal in one pot and like a delicious lentil stew that warms the heart and soul - any time of year - but even better when the weather is cold outside : ) The smell of it cooking is enough to warm all your senses : )
We love it because when my father in law was alive we would all sit around and share this meal together and now, we tell our kids (aged 5, 2 and a newborn) that this was their Papa's favourite (as they never had the chance to meet him)- Our eldest says "make Papa's favourite for dinner mummy! It's sooooo yummy!" It's such a great way to get the kids eating their veges and some delicious lentils that are so good for you - high in fibre and iron too! If you omit the chorizo (it is delicious with it though as it gives a real spanish flavour) then it becomes even healthier too for vegetarians and those watching their weight. It really is a meal in one - you don't need anything else and it's great the next night (or 2!) and freezes well also.


