#2. Spanish Lentils.
I had Lentejas from Tierra de Campos, where soils are pretty poor, and there is a very interesting variety: Pardina. There are a lots of ways of cooking our Lentils, but we are chosing the single way, speaking about Lentils, not potato, not meat,… traditional one.
- Pardinas Letils.
- 1/2 Green Peppers.
- 2 Garlic «teeth»
- 1 Onion – Very important to be shotly cut.
- 1 Laurel leaf – in order to avoid stomach ache.
- 1 Spoon of Pimentón (better from La Vera)
- Salt (your way)
- 2 Spoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tomate
- 1 Chorizo
- Water (your way)
Most important things is to have a great Sofrito. You have to cut the vegetables so nice: green peppers, onion, and only with two Olive Oil Spoons trying to fry in a slowly way, in the first time with a lot of heat, later on, a lower one. In the middle of the frying, add the tomate, very well cut too.
Later on, add the Chorizo (it is good from Bierzo!!), and the entire garlic «teeth» (so important), a touch of Pimentón, and the Laurel leaf. Some heat, and the Lentils. Finally we add the Lentils, one minute, and you must begin to add water and salt at your way.
I prefer to have the lentils not so thick, so I use to add enough water, and in the beginning of the boiling, I add a little bit more for «frighten the boiled» (asustar).
Time at a very slow boil… 60 minutes. If you want to have a thicker sausage, do them a day before. Very important, take your time, You should not hurry, and of course… drink a glass of Wine with…
#1. Botillo from Bierzo. The last of this season.
I took 2 botillos ready to get cooked from Frimols, and I put them in a big pot where they are going to be boiled, very slowly, for two hours. 30 minutes before the end; I introduced potatoes, cabagge and chorizos, also from Molinaseca. Frimols is a family who have elaborated special chorizo and botillo in Molinaseca 100 years ago.
Some ideas:
It’s better to cover the Botillos with foil, for not be opened. For Potatoes must be broken, not cut. We must make some incisions in the chorizos. The best cabbage is from winter season, and his varietal name is Asa de Cántaro. If you want the cabbage well done, better 45 minutes (I prefer a little bit «hard»).
We served all together in a big dish, and have a nice meal time: JJ, Alex, Emilio, Nizar, and me.