Chilli Con Lentils

I do love my lentils and the fact that they are full of protein makes them even better.  This is a delicious vegetarian chilli which should really be called "Chilli Con Lentejas", which translates to chilli with lentils, as opposed to "Chilli Con Carne" which is known as chilli with meat.

Chilli Con Lentils - or - Chilli Con Lentejas

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups French lentils (or Puy lentils)
2 bay leaves
1 small cinnamon stick
4 cups vegetable stock
1 onion - diced
2 large cloves garlic - diced (or crushed)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli (or more, depending on how hot you like it)
1 tsp paprika
1 large carrot - chopped into evenly sized pieces
2 large romano red peppers - sliced into evenly sized pieces
1 400g tin kidney beans - drained and rinsed
1 200g tin corn
1 400g tin tomatoes
2 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs brown sugar
1 cup water
Fresh coriander - roughly chopped


Place the lentils, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and vegetable stock in a large saucepan.  Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for approx. 25 minutes, until lentils are cooked.

Meanwhile, cook the onion and garlic in a little oil, in a large pan for a minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.  Add the cumin, chilli and paprika.  Cook another minute or so.

Add the carrot and red peppers.  Stir until well covered with the spices.  Pour in the cooked lentils, including any liquid.  Add the kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and water.  Stir well until combined.  Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.

Serve in bowls, over rice.  Top with coriander.  You could also make a simple guacamole to serve with it.

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Sausages with Lentils

I absolutely adore lentils.  They add good bulk to soups and stews, are nutritious and especially delicious with sausages.  I'm not usually a fan of sausages, but when they are served with lentils, I can't resist.  It's wonderful comfort food and who doesn't need a bit of that when it's raining and grey outside.  Besides all that, my son has been asking when we're having sausages for dinner again!

Olive oil

2 x packets of sausages (12 in all - my family eat a LOT!)
2 x onions, chopped

2 x carrots, thickly sliced
4 x cloves garlic, chopped (I love garlic)
Sherry
3/4 x 500g packet green lentils (this is all I had left!)

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

3 x cups chicken stock 

Balsamic vinegar
Fresh coriander

You'll need a big casserole pan with a lid.

Put a little of the olive oil in the pan and fry the sausages until they're well browned all over.  Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and cook until just starting to soften.  Then add a little dash of sherry to the pan and scrape any bits that are stuck on the bottom.  It all adds to the flavour!

Pour in the lentils and stir them through, then return the sausages to the pan.  Add the tomatoes and stock.  (Again, this time, I used stock cubes because we have no home-made stock left).  Stir well and bring to the boil, then pop the lid on the pan and lower the heat down to simmer for approx. 40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

At this stage you can check that there's a nice red wine to drink when dinner is ready, or pour yourself one while waiting.

When most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender, they will be ready.

Stir in a couple of spoons of balsamic vinegar and a good handful of fresh coriander, then serve with mashed potato.

Enjoy!  :)

Caryl ♥