I have been eating chicken for a few days too many. I need a change and what better plate than lentils, a dish with lots of iron! What is even better, is that my daughter gets excited every time I make this dish, so that makes me even happier :)
Let's start with the basics. What do you need?
Ingredients
- A bag of lentils
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large tomato
- 2 or 3 bay leaves
- 1 neckbone
- 2 large carrots
- 2-3 potatoes
- 1 chorizo (spanish sausage)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
You can also add some zuchinni if you want.
So let's make this easy meal!
Preparation
- Wash the tomato and cut it in half.
- Peel the onion, and make a cut through half of it, so that the juices can mix easier with the lentils.
- Peel the carrots and Cut them in three or four pieces.
- Pour the lentils in the pan with all the ingredients in the picture above: the carrots, tomato, onion, bay leaves, neckbone, just like the picture below.
5. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients, almost to the top.
6. Cut the chorizo (spanish sausage) in slices, however thick you want them to be. Some people put the whole piece with the lentils, but I believe it gives more flavor to cut it in pieces.
6. Add salt and paprika. Stir.
Cooking
Most of this meal is preparation. Once you have all the ingredients with water and seasoned, cook in medium-high heat for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, dice the potatoes. Again, size doesn't really matter.
Once the 25 minutes have passed, add the cut potatoes. Lower the fire to medium-low, and if necessary, add a little bit more water. I always do, since the potatoes absorb a lot of water. Cook for an additional 20 minutes stirring occasionally and you are done!
I tend to throw away the onion (I only use it for flavor) as well as the bay leaves. If any of you are onion lovers, you are welcome to add it to your plate. You can eat everything else in the meal, even the tomato!
Lentils are know for iron and many good vitamins and minerals. In order for the body to absorb those better, it is recommended to either mix just a bit of rice (1 tablespoon at most), or the option I choose, is to add a teaspoon of white vinegar to my plate. This actually enhances the flavor even more!
To remind you how the meal looks like here is the dish. I will post this recipe in Spanish soon. Be on the lookout for it! BUEN PROVECHO!
