When B couldn't find pimenton in the supermarket aisles and asked a staff member she said 'oh you are doing a Rick Stein are you?' Yes, the power of the telly cook. Rick's amiable ramble around Spain has introduced this smoky and hot spice to us so we tried out his dish of lentils. Pimenton is made by the slow smoking of lofts full of harvested peppers, long thin red ones, over a fire lit below - very picturesque. At least that's how he filmed it being made there. I do cynically wonder if they have got factory ways of doing it as well.
Anyway the hot version - you can get it like hungarian paprika either hot or sweet - is fiery and has a really strong smoky flavour. It makes a meal of lentils very satisfyingly tasty so it could easily be a vegetarian main course without the small meat component. We ate it with simple shredded cabbage which had a welcome freshness as an accompaniment and you don't need much more of anything.
So this is a version of what RS did and may not be totally authentic - we didn't record the programme so it was just from memory. Also he used Serano ham as a flavouring but we had a bit of cooking chorizo in the fridge so that was an obvious alternative. A friend used lardons instead but you could, of course, chop whatever bacon you have.
Spanish Lentils - enough for 4 generous portions
250g brown lentils
1 onion chopped
2 carrots sliced finely
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tin or packet tomatoes or passata
One third approx of a hard/cooking chorizo chopped finely
1 rounded tsp pimenton - this was enough to make it quite hot so go carefully and add less first if you are unsure.
Anyway the hot version - you can get it like hungarian paprika either hot or sweet - is fiery and has a really strong smoky flavour. It makes a meal of lentils very satisfyingly tasty so it could easily be a vegetarian main course without the small meat component. We ate it with simple shredded cabbage which had a welcome freshness as an accompaniment and you don't need much more of anything.
So this is a version of what RS did and may not be totally authentic - we didn't record the programme so it was just from memory. Also he used Serano ham as a flavouring but we had a bit of cooking chorizo in the fridge so that was an obvious alternative. A friend used lardons instead but you could, of course, chop whatever bacon you have.
Spanish Lentils - enough for 4 generous portions
250g brown lentils
1 onion chopped
2 carrots sliced finely
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tin or packet tomatoes or passata
One third approx of a hard/cooking chorizo chopped finely
1 rounded tsp pimenton - this was enough to make it quite hot so go carefully and add less first if you are unsure.
- Cook the lentils in simmering water till soft about 20/25 mins - add salt near the end. Drain.
- Soften the onion in a little oil, then add the sliced carrots, lastly the garlic. Let the mixture stew gently for a few minutes.
- Now add in the chorizo if you are using it, cook a few minutes more, then add in the pimento and let the whole mixture meld together for several minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- Then add in your lentils,and mix, let it sit a few minutes more and that's it. Eat hot, warm or even cold.
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