Lentils Lentejas, Tomato Tomahto

I love soup. But I really love soup when it is a full meal loaded with veggies and protein. I learned to make lentils when I was living and working as an au pair in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain.  My madre, Susana, was a phenomenal cook - she also loved to use the word fenomenal - and I tried to learn as much as I could from her. The recipe I give you here comes straight from Susana's kitchen and has been made over dozens of times and perfected in my kitchen. 
You're going to get a lot of "perfection" in this recipe. Spaniards make great lentils, but aren't too good at giving specific measurements or cooking times... just go with it. They will be delicious, especially if you're cooking with a glass of Rioja wine in hand. Ole! 

Combine chicken/veggie stock, lentils & spices and bring to a boil

• 2 Quarts chicken/veggie stock (See recipe here for a homemade version). No time to make your own? Better Than Boullion Organic Veggie or Chicken Broth Concentrate is super simple. Follow instructions on the jar. 
• 1 lb. lentils (I combine French green, red and brown)
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika 
• 2 bay leaves
• salt & pepper to taste (Beware: If you use boullion you will not need any additional salt)
• red chili flakes to taste 

Chop veggies. Add veggies to broth after lentils have simmered for about 10 minutes *

• 1 sweet or white potato, chopped  
• 3-4 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped1 cup diced tomatoes or canned
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• Kale / spinach / swiss chard (Add at the very end!) 
• 1/2 lb. Spanish chorizo / Italian Sausage / Ground turkey (cook separately)

Meanwhile saute meat in a skillet and then add to the lentils and veggies once cooked. Taste test the green lentils and sweet potato after they have simmered for 20 minutes. They should be cooked but still firm. They will continue to cook even after you've turned off the heat. 

Finally, throw in a bunch of fresh spinach / chopped Swiss chard / kale towards the very end. It cooks super fast so no need to do it until the end.  It will cook down so you can add a lot more than you might think. Go overboard! I have also made a vegetarian version and honestly didn't even miss the meat. I just cut the meat and use veggie broth instead of chicken. This recipe is super versatile so just play with it and find what you like.  Buen Provecho!

* If you have trouble cooking the veggies while not over cooking the lentils to mush or vice versa. You might try cooking them separately! Cook veggies to your desired density in a separate skillet and then combine with lentils and meat.

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