Sopa de Lentejas

Ingredients

• 1 carrot
• 1 green bell pepper
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 1 cup dry brown lentils
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 0.5 tsp paprika
• 0.25 spicy chorizo

Method

Dice the onion, carrot, and bell pepper into rough 1 cm pieces — uniform size matters because you want them softening at the same pace during the aromatic-vegetables stage. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then add the aromatics. Stir frequently for 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the carrot begins to yield to the knife. You're building a flavour base here, not colouring them hard — if they start browning significantly, your heat is too high.

Dice the chorizo into 5 mm coins and add it to the pot alongside the garlic, crushed briefly under the side of your knife. Cook for a minute — just long enough for the garlic to release its harshness and the chorizo's oils to begin rendering into the oil. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add them with the bay leaf. The acidity here will brighten the broth and balance the richness of the chorizo fat. Cook uncovered for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. You'll notice the tomato breaking down and the overall mixture thickening slightly.

Rinse the brown lentils under cold water — this removes surface starch and prevents the final broth from becoming gluey. Add them to the pot with 500 ml of cold water. The water should cover the lentils by roughly a thumb's width; brown lentils absorb liquid unevenly, and you need enough buffer to account for this without them drying out. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Do not cover the pot. Brown lentils hold their shape better than red varieties, but they still disintegrate if overcooked; begin checking at 15 minutes. The lentil should break cleanly when pressed against the side of the pot with a spoon, with no chalky centre. This takes 18–22 minutes depending on the lentils' age and how vigorously you're simmering.

Taste for salt — lentil soups need aggressive seasoning because legumes are naturally bland. Adjust the paprika if the spice is buried; chorizo can dominate timid palates. Serve hot in wide bowls. A thread of fresh olive oil across the surface is optional but correct.