Spanish Lentils with Rice | Lentajas con Arroz

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (35 ml)
• 1 small onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 carrots
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (15 ml)
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika (2.50 grams)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin (1.50 grams)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cup dried green lentils (130 grams)
• 4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (1050 ml)
• 1 bay leaf
• sea salt & black pepper
• 3 cups vegetable broth (720 ml)
• 1 cup Spanish round rice (190 grams)
• sea salt
• handful chopped fresh parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- TO MAKE THE LENTILS ---
2. 2Heat a stock pot with a medium heat and add in the olive oil
3. 3While the oil is heating, finely chop the onion, roughly chop the garlic, finely chop the green bell pepper, cut the carrots (peeled) into small bite-size pieces and finely grate the tomatoes
4. 4Add the chopped ingredients (except the tomato) into the stock, mix continuously, after 3 to 4 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sauteed, add in the sherry vinegar, paprika and cumin, quickly mix together, then add in the grated tomato, mix and then simmer
5. 5In the meantime, add the dried lentils into a fine sieve and rinse under water
6. 6Once the grated tomato has slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes, add in the rinsed lentils, along with the vegetable broth and bay leaf, raise to a high heat, once it comes to a boil, place a lid on the stock pot and lower to a low heat
7. 7--- TO MAKE THE RICE ---
8. 8While the lentils are simmering, add the broth into a sauce pan, season with sea salt and heat with a high heat
9. 9Once it comes to a boil add in the rice, mix together, then place a lid on the sauce pan and lower to a low-medium heat, cook until the rice is done and all the broth has been absorbed (15 minutes in my case, make sure to check package instructions on the rice you are using), then remove from the heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes with the lid, then remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork
10. 10Move back to the lentils, after 20 to 25 minutes and the lentils are cooked through, season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together, then remove from the heat
11. 11To assemble the dish, add some of the rice into a shallow bowl, then add in some of the lentils next to the rice, garnish with chopped fresh parsley inbetween the rice and lentils, enjoy!