Lentejas (Spanish Lentils)

A dinner party at Carol Stymans’ home –  that’s were I first had lentils (Spanish or otherwise).  Carol introduced us to many things Spanish, including El Corte Ingles. 🙂

This makes a thick, stew-like soup.  I love using lentils because they cook so quickly.

Ingredients

1 lb. lentils, sorted & rinsed
2 small ham hocks
6 oz. Spanish chorizo, sliced
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
1 c. sliced carrots
1 large potato, peeled & diced
1/2 T. dried parsley
8 c. water
4 beef bouillon cubes
1/4 t. ground black pepper
dash cayenne
2 bay leaves

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a dutch oven.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, appox. 2 hours.  Add additional water if the mixture become TOO thick.  Remove bay leaves and hocks.  (My ham hocks didn’t have any meat worth picking off; if yours do, remove it from the hock and return the meat to the soup.)  I was intentional about not adding salt here; between the smoked ham hocks, and bouillon, it didn’t seem to need more.  Season to your own taste. 

Serves 6 – 8

Lois Britton

An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com,  she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.