Lentejas Rápidas con Chorizo
Lentejas Rápidas con Chorizo·(len-TEH-has RAH-pee-das kon cho-REE-tho)
La Comida Hecha Rápida: The Weeknight Heart
Thirty-five minutes. That is the precise window between dropping your keys on the counter and filling the kitchen with the smell of woodsmoke, garlic, and earthy pork simmering on a Tuesday night. When the red fat renders in a heavy Dutch oven, you have food that doesn't try to be fancy because it is fundamentally good. Take your time building the sofrito, snap your potatoes to naturally thicken the broth, and let the cured Palacios chorizo do the heavy lifting.
Before you start
Snap, do not slice, the potatoes.
Known as 'chascar las patatas', this is a non-negotiable technique. Instead of slicing the potatoes cleanly with a knife, insert a paring knife slightly into the flesh and twist your wrist to snap off jagged, one-inch chunks. These rough edges release essential starches into the broth.
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- Spanish-style cured chorizo8 oz
- yellow onion1 med
- garlic3 med cloves
- carrot1 med
- green bell pepper1/2 med
- Roma tomato1 med
- Pimentón de la Vera1 tsp
- bay leaf1 large
- small brown lentils1 lb
- Yukon Gold potatoes2 med
- low-sodium chicken broth6 cup
- kosher salt1 tsp
- red wine vinegar1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Set an electric pressure cooker to sauté and cook the chorizo in olive oil until the edges are crisp and the fat renders.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate, leaving the deep red oil in the pot. This smoked pork fat is the essential foundation of your stew.
- 02
Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and green pepper to the hot chorizo fat and sauté until completely soft and reduced by half.
Do not rush this. If you add liquid before these vegetables have caramelized and shed their water, your stew will be watery and lifeless.
- 03
Make a well in the vegetables, add the grated tomato, and cook for two minutes before turning off the heat.
- 04
Immediately stir in the smoked paprika for exactly fifteen seconds using the residual heat.
If you leave the heat active, the high sugar content of the paprika will cause it to scorch and turn irreparably bitter.
- 05
Add the rinsed lentils, reserved chorizo, bay leaf, and the snapped potatoes to the pot.
Toss the jagged chunks of potato in with the legumes. The rough edges will break down under pressure and naturally thicken your broth.
- 06
Pour in the chicken broth and salt, lock the lid, and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
Scrape the bottom of the pot vigorously before sealing to lift any browned bits and prevent a burn warning from the machine.
- 07
Allow the pressure cooker to release its pressure naturally for 15 minutes before opening the valve.
If you manually vent the steam immediately, the sudden drop in pressure will cause the lentils to violently boil and explode into mush.
- 08
Discard the bay leaf, lightly mash a potato chunk against the side of the pot to thicken the broth, and stir in the vinegar.
The acid awakens all the earthy, smoky flavors. Let the stew rest for five minutes before serving in deep bowls with a massive hunk of crusty artisan bread.
Notes
Do not use Mexican chorizo.
Mexican chorizo is a fresh, raw sausage that will dissolve into greasy crumbles under pressure. You must use fully cooked, cured Spanish-style chorizo, typically found in the deli or specialty cheese section.
There is no need to soak the lentils.
Small brown and pardina lentils have a delicate structure and will cook perfectly in exactly 12 minutes under high pressure without overnight soaking.
From Cook Spanish in America.