Lentil and Chorizo Stew #SundaySupper

I might be the only person eating a stew when it´s 32ºC / 90ºF outside. This happens when you participate in Sunday Supper and the theme is stick-to-your-bones food. Thanks for modern comforts like the air conditioning. Today our host is Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen and the list of recipes is absolutely soul warming.

Was it worth it? Totally. This lentil and chorizo stew is my favorite way to beat the cold. It came together through the years, tweaking this and that until I found the right combination of spice, vegetables, type of chorizo, bacon, amount of tomato and lentils. This is a very traditional dish here, and as such, there are endless variations, everyone has their favorite and every house has the perfect recipe. Today you´ll have to settle for mine. 

It all started years ago. First because I simply love lentils, and second because I have an on again, off again iron defficiency (anemia, though I´m not trying to give you a medical explanation of it) which compells me to eat meat and things like lentils, spinach, blood sausage. It´s the way to keep the levels normal and avoid that slump bordering depression that happens when your blood doesn´t have enough iron. If you ever experienced this you´re nodding and if you haven´t you´re lucky and go on with your life. Make this stew simply because it´s amazing and soul filling.

A good lentil stew has to have what we here call red sausage, which is spanish sausage in many countries. It has peppers and pork, and a very particular flavor. Of course any kind of sausage you like a lot will work I guess, but I don´t know since I don´t even bother making this recipe if I don´t find red sausage. 
That said, the rest is very simple, things like carrots, onion, canned tomatoes, smoked paprika, and a few more things.

Back when I was growing up, lentils were prepared in the course of two days, needing to soak them in water for at least half a day before boiling them. You can still do that today, but I use the ones that are done in an hour and taste great. They cook together with the rest of the ingredients which include broth, so the flavor is deepened and they keep their bite.

As for any stew they are always better the next day, or even the next. I like to take it further by cooking it until it´s just done, until the lentils are almost al dente. I then leave the whole thing to cool until the next day, when I cook it again for half an hour or more, depending on how I want the lentils. That overnight rest deepens the flavor like only time can. The become friends and exchange subtleties until the flavor becomes almost one. This is especially important with the chorizo and the bacon. They will loose some of their fat slowly and it will become part of the juices. Simply wonderful.

So that you get a last picture, I sat down to eat and was managing fine until halfway through, then it was a matter or turning on the a/c a bit higher and my hair up in a messy ponytail if I wanted to finish my bowl. See how much I love my Sunday Supper group? Can´t say I´m not a team player now. Whatever comes up down the road, let´s just say I have one to collect, just saying. Am I being dramatic or is it the heat?

LENTIL AND CHORIZO STEW

3 Tbs canola oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

½ small red pepper, seeded and finely chopped

½ cup chopped celery stalks

1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped

About 4 cups veal broth

2 cups lentils

1 ½ cups canned tomatoes, chopped with juice

4 oz. bacon, coarsely chopped

4 oz. red or spanish chorizo, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs smoked paprika

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large pot with lid, heat oil and sweat onion, pepper and celery. Don´t brown. Add salt and pepper, carrots and 2 cups broth, and cook, partially covered for 10 minutes over low heat.

Add 1 more cup broth, lentils and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 30 minutes.

While this is cooking, in a small skillet cook chorizo and bacon for 2 or 3 minutes, until they are a bit brown and have released some fat. Add them to the pot together with the paprika and another cup of broth. Keep on cooking everything for the thirty minutes specified before.

Check to see if the lentils are cooked. Add more broth if necessary, check seasonings and cook more time if the lentils need it.

Laddle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

We have over 50 contributors this week, bringing you their best warm you up dishes.  We have everything from stews, soups, main entrees and even some hot drinks and desserts. 

Just look at the list below that is coming to the #SundaySupper table this week!

Main Entrees: 

§                     Carrot, Parsnip and Lentil Casserole  - Happy Baking Days

§                     Chicken with Herbed Dumplings – Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

§                     Chicken pot pie – Gotta Get Baked

§                     Cholula Chicken Enchiladas – Kwistin’s Favorites

§                     Eggplant Parmesan – The Hand That Rocks The Ladle

§                     Roasted Roots and Fruits with Sausage – Shockingly Delicious

Chili/Stews:

§                     Beer-Braised Beef – Sustainable Dad

§                     Bigos {Authentic Polish Hunter’s Stew} – From Fast Food to Fresh Food

§                     Brunswick Stew and Rice – Big Bear’s Wife

§                     Calico Beans – Home Cooking Memories

§                     Carbonnade Flamande – The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

§                     Chicken Cacciatore {Hunter Style Stew} with Easy Creamy Polenta –Webicurean

§                     Chicken & Mushroom Stew On Egg Noodles –  Galactosemia in PDX

§                     Cowboy Beef Stew - Comfy Cuisine 

§                     Ham and String Beans –  Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

§                     Hearty Moose Meatball Stew – Mrs. Mama Hen

§                     Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili - Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

§                     Seafood Gumbo and Soul Warming #SundaySupper Wine Pairings - ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

§                     Soul Warming Hearty Beef Stew - In The Kitchen With KP

Soups:

§                     30 Minute Black Bean Soup – Supper for a Steal

§                     Black Bean Soup – Basic and Delicious 

§                     Black Bean Soup with Hot Roast Pepper Cream - The Lovely Pantry

§                     Canadian Beer Cheese Soup – Juanita’s Cocina

§                     Chicken Soup with Dumplings – The Messy Baker

§                     Chicken Tortilla Soup – Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

§                     Coconut Curry Chicken Soup – Damn Delicious

§                     Easy Chicken and Dumplings – My Catholic Kitchen

§                     Easy Italian Wedding Soup – Family Foodie

§                     Easy Wonton Soup – Soni’s Food

§                     French Onion Soup – Momma’s Meals

§                     Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings – I Run For Wine

§                     Lasagna Soup – Cravings of a Lunatic

§                     Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup – Mangiamo

§                     Lentil and Bacon Soup – Small Wallet, Big Appetite

§                     Lentil Soup with Spinach – Mama’s Blissful Bites

§                     Peppery Mulligatawny Soup with Cherry Tomatoes & Cilantro – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

§                     Pozolillo Verde {Green Chicken & Corn Pozole} – La Cocina de Leslie

§                     Red Lentil Soup with Crispy Aromatic Coriander – Chattering Kitchen

§                     Roasted Jalapeno Soup – Chocolate Moosey

§                     Rule of Thirds Soup - What Smells So Good?

§                     Seafood Chowder – Noshing with the Nolands

§                     Spanish Garlic Soup – Pippi’s In The Kitchen Again

§                     Spicy Gumbo Z’herbes – Pescetarian Journal

§                     Spicy Korean Brisket Soup {Yukgaejang} - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends

§                     Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup {Jjamppong} – Kimchi Mom

§                     Spicy Udon Noodle Soup – My Trials In The Kitchen

§                     Turkey Noodle Soup – Magnolia Days

§                     Tuscan Bean Soup  - The Wimpy Vegetarian

§                     Twisted Chicken Noodle Soup – The Meltaways

§                     Warm You Up Spicy Bacon Cheeseburger Soup - Daily Dish Recipes

Desserts/Beverages:

§                     Hot Fudge Pudding Cake – That Skinny Chick Can Bake

§                     White Hot Chocolate with Orange – GirliChef

Join on us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper.  In the evening we will meet at 7pm EST for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat. 

All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag or you can follow us through TweetChat.

We’d also love to feature your Sunday Supper Soul Warming Recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers, too.