Author Notes
Adapted from a Claudia Roden recipe in her excellent The Food of Spain, I took this recipe in a Midwestern American autumn direction by adding crisp, sweet apples and apple cider vinegar. The result was warming and delicious. If you cannot find Morcilla (Spanish style blood sausage), just double the chorizo. —The Spiced Life
Ingredients
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2 cups
brown or green lentils that hold their shape (I used lentils de puy)
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5 cups
water
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2 tablespoons
Spanish extra virgin olive oil, but not a super pricey one
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1 pound
sweet Spanish style chorizo, casing removed and sliced into half moons
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1 pound
Morcilla (Spanish style blood sausage), casing removed and either sliced or slightly crumbled
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2
medium onions, chopped
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4-6
cloves garlic, minced
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2
medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
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1 teaspoon
sweet smoked Spanish paprika
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2-3
crisp, sweet apples, such as Fuji, peeled and sliced
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salt and pepper to taste
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4 cups
chicken stock, plus more as needed
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1 tablespoon
good quality chicken stock base (such as Minor's low sodium)
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1/2 cup
Amontillado Sherry
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3
Bay leaves
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2 tablespoons
apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
Directions
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Place the lentils in a medium-large saucepan with 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, and then reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
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In the meantime, heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil, heat through, and then add the sausages. Cook to release the fat from the sausages, about 7 minutes, stirring. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausages and set aside.
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Add the onions with a pinch of salt to the sausage-flavored oil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the onion is golden, about 7 minutes.
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Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
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Then add the tomatoes and smoked paprika. Simmer briskly for 5 minutes.
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Then add the apple slices and mix in for 1 minute.
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Add the sherry and then dump the lentils with their cooking liquid into the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the chicken stock.
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Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to simmer. Check occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the lentil are completely tender (they should not fall apart).
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Add the sausages back into the pot and stir through. Taste for salt and pepper. This soup was good the first day, but it was fantastic the second day.
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