Vegan Spanish Lentil Stew (Lentejas)

Ingredients

For 6 portions

• 🏺 30ml olive oil
• 🍄 200g mushrooms
• 🧅 150g onions
• 🥕 200g carrots
• 🫑 150g red bell pepper
• 🧄 12g garlic
• 🫑 8g smoked paprika
• 🌿 1g cumin powder
• 🥫 200g canned tomatoes
• 🥔 400g potato
• 🫘 400g lentils (dry)
• 🌿 1g bay leaf
• 🥕 1,300ml vegetable broth (rehydrated stock cube)
• 🍶 15ml red wine vinegar
• 🌿 10g parsley
• 🌿 1g black pepper

Method

1. Rinse the lentils. Slice the mushrooms, dice the onion and pepper, slice the carrots, chop the garlic and cut the potatoes into chunks.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until well browned. This gives the stew its savoury depth. Lift them out with a slotted spoon.
3. Lower the heat and cook the onion, carrots and pepper in the same pan for 8 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, smoked paprika and cumin and stir for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the paprika.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
5. Add the lentils, potatoes, bay leaf, stock and mushrooms. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, until the lentils and potatoes are tender. Stir now and then, adding a splash of water if needed.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the vinegar and pepper, and add salt only if it needs it.
7. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread. It's even better the next day.