Tapas Tuesday: Lentejas (Lentils)

Lentils are a staple in our home. They’ve been featured a couple times on the blog (here and here). In Spain, it’s not unusual to see them offered as a tapa, especially outside the tourist areas. The cool, rainy summer days have put me in the mood for a nice, warm, comforting bowl of lentejas.

Soupy or saucy tapas are often served in a vessel called a cazuela. They range in size from a couple inches across to over 12 inches. They serve the same function as the casserole dishes we’re more familiar with, but these are made with terra cotta and are often only glazed on the cooking surface.

No worries if you don’t have a cazuela. The lentils won’t mind…and neither will anyone else after the first bite!

A half pound of lentils (about a cup of dry lentils) will serve 6 to 8, depending on the size of the serving. You can season the lentils with bay leaf, salt and pepper but the majority of the flavor comes from the lentils and the other vegetables. On occasion, I’ll add curry powder, especially if I want to serve the lentejas over rice. Some preparations call for the addition of potatoes. You could also use sweet potatoes or winter squash if you have some available. I added a handful of diced grape tomatoes to the latest batch as we’re being inundated at the moment. Other times, I’ll add a couple handfuls of spinach or some other type of greens.

This is perfect for flexitarian eating as it’s easy to customize the ingredients according to your needs. I used homemade chicken stock but if you prefer your lentejas veggie style, use vegetable broth or water and omit the meat. For heartier fare, add some sliced chorizo or cover a serving with a fried egg.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils (the most commonly found are green or brown and don’t require soaking)
• 1 carrot, diced small (about a half cup)
• 1 stalk celery, diced small (about a half cup)
• 1 large onion, diced small (about a cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup tomato, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1½ – 2 quarts chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
• 2 ounces ham or chorizo (or other meat typically used for seasoning)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Prepare the vegetables. (Note carrots, celery, onion and garlic prepped in this manner are commonly called mire poix or soffrito. You can prepare these in batches and freeze in recipe size amounts…in this case, two cups)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven (at least four quarts) and sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat for two or three minutes.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for five minutes more. Stir often.
4. Add the lentils, broth, meat, bay leaves and stir to combine.
5. Allow to come to a nice simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for a half hour or until the lentils have softened. Add more broth if needed.
6. Salt and pepper and other seasonings (like a two teaspoons of your favorite curry powder) to taste.

Leftover lentejas are awesome served over rice, barley or spinach.