Lentils, Chorizo and Cabbage

After having a run of disasters in the kitchen over the past week, I thought I’d stick with something I knew well today in order to restore my confidence and prevent us from leaving the table feeling hungry or disappointed. We had about three quarters of a really good chorizo in the fridge which, combined with some lentils and crusty bread, made for a really hearty and satisfying dinner. This is a lot like the lentil ragu we eat a lot and which usually includes bacon, it’s also quite similar to a soup that Stephen made recently with beans instead of lentils. Basically, this combination of ingredients is incredibly versatile and can be used in many different ways; I wanted to use cavolo nero today but couldn’t find any locally so settled for savoy cabbage which worked well.

Lentil, Chorizo and Cabbage

Serves Four

Chorizo, cubed (about six inches, I didn’t weight it)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 teaspoons paprika

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 glass white wine

400g puy lentils

500ml chicken stock

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs thyme

Cook chorizo over medium to low heat until fat has been released and the chorizo is cooked through. Remove from the pan and reserve until later.

Cook onions on a low heat with a good pinch of salt until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for a further two minutes.

Add paprika and stir thoroughly so that powder is incorporated. Add the tomato puree and cook for about a miute.

Deglaze with the wine and allow it to cook out for two to three minutes.

Stir in the lentils and ensure they are well coated with the rest of the ingredients. Add the chorizo back to the pan.

Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Top up with water if necessary.

Just before you’re ready to serve, add the chopped cabbage to the pan and cook for about eight minutes.

Serve with crusty bread or stir through some pasta.