*Sopa de Lentejas con Chorizo

from “THE BASQUE TABLE”, Passionate Home Cooking from One of Europe’s Great Regional Cuisines.
By: Teresa Barrenechea

Lentils are included in many Basque dishes, particularly those served during the cold months. Rich, warming soups such as this were found cooking slowly on the stove.

Ingredients

½ pound of brown lentils
3 whole chorizo sausages or ½ a pound
¼ cup plus 2 tbls. of olive oil
3 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
2 medium carrots (cut into thin rounds)
1 red and 1 green bell pepper (seeded and halved)
1 onion minced
salt to taste

Put the lentils into a medium sized pot, cover them with 4 cups of water and soak them for about 8 hours.

Drain the lentils, and return them to the pot. Add enough cold water to cover them by 2 to 3 inches. Bring the lentils and water to a boil over medium high heat, deduce the heat to low and add the sausages and 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook the lentils over a very low heat for one hour.

Add the potatoes, carrots and peppers, and cook until vegetables are at least fork tender.

In a small skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add the oil and onions to the soup, mix well and cook for another 10 minutes, until the flavours blend. Cut each chorizo in half, and serve one piece per bowl.