Spanish Lentils With Prawns And Chorizo Food

SOUPY SPANISH LENTILS WITH CHORIZO AND MANCHEGO TOAST

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or deep saute pan. Place sausages in the pan and cook 6-7 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate. (Sausages will not be cooked all the way through at this point.)
• Place onion in the hot fat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 7 to 8 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add the celery and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
• Add the garlic, stir until fragrant. Add the chopped roasted red bell pepper, the tomato paste, the wine and cook 1 minute.
• Add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, smoked paprika and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
• Slice chorizo into 1/4 to 1/3-inch slices. Add to the pan with the lentils.
• Reduce heat, cover slightly and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until lentils are tender, adding additional chicken broth as needed to maintain a "soupy" consistency. Add red wine vinegar and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Stir in parsley. Let rest while making the toast.
• Preheat broiler on high. Combine softened butter and garlic. Spread over the slices of bread then top with grated cheese.
• Place on a baking sheet then place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

SPANISH PRAWNS WITH SPICY LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and chorizo, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the onion softens and the chorizo starts to crisp. Stir in harissa and cook for a further minute.
• Add tomatoes, lentils, capsicum and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly.
• Season the prawns with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the prawns are just cooked through.
• Stir in the parsley, then serve with crusty bread and a mixed salad.

ONE-POT PRAWN & LENTIL CURRY

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils a few times, then tip into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a shallow casserole or sauté pan, and cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until it starts to turn golden. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, cumin seeds and ground coriander, and cook for 3 mins until the mixture is sticky. Stir in the tomato purée and tamarind, if using, followed by the chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 8-10 mins until you have a thick paste.
• Rinse the soaked lentils again until the water runs clear, then drain. Stir the lentils into the tomato base, then tip in 600ml water (use some to swill out the tomato can) and the stock cube. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 50 mins-1 hr, topping up with more water if needed, until the lentils are soft and have started to cook down into the sauce. Stir through the garam masala. Can now be left to cool completely, then chilled for up to three days or frozen for up to six months (see below).
• To cook the prawns, reheat the chilled or defrosted frozen sauce in a saucepan until simmering (see below), then tip in the prawns and cook for 5 mins. Season with salt to taste, then drizzle with the rest of the oil and stir briefly. Slice the green chillies and sprinkle these over with a few coriander leaves, then scatter with pickled onions (see recipe below) to serve.

RED LENTIL & CHORIZO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp and it has released its oils. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Fry the onion, carrots and cumin seeds for 10 mins until soft and glistening, then add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Scatter over the paprika and sugar, cook for 1 min, then splash in the vinegar. Simmer for a moment, then stir in the lentils, and pour over the tomatoes and chicken stock.
• Give it a good stir, then simmer for 30 mins or until the lentils are tender. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth-ish but still chunky. Can be made several days ahead or frozen for 6 months at this point. Serve in bowls, drizzled with yogurt and olive oil, scattered with the chorizo and a sprinkling of paprika.

GARLIC PRAWNS WITH ASIAN PUY LENTILS

Steps:

• Place the prawns in a shallow dish. Mix together half the finely chopped chilli, lime zest and juice, garlic and oil, then pour over the prawns. Cover and chill for 20 mins to marinate.
• Meanwhile, put the lentils in a pan, cover with twice their depth in water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 mins until tender. Top up the water if you need to.
• To make the dressing, put the remaining chopped chilli, the soy, honey and vinegar into a small bowl and stir together. Drain the lentils, then tip into a large bowl. Spoon over almost all the dressing while the lentils are hot, tip in the sesame seeds, then mix well.
• Heat a frying pan until really hot. Lift the prawns out of the marinade, then fry for 1-2 mins each side until pink and lightly golden. Pour in the marinade and bring to the boil. Fold the chopped coriander through the lentils, then spoon onto serving plates. Top with the prawns and any pan juices.

SPANISH SHRIMP WITH CHORIZO

Steps:

• In small pan place chorizo. Cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 2 minutes.
• Drain water from chorizos. Cut chorizo into 1/4 inch slices, at a bit of an angle.
• In a bowl combine butter, shallots, parsley, smoked paprika, and sweet/hot paprika. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• In large saute pan, add sliced chorizo and fry up on both sides. About 2minutes per side. Increase heat to high and add shrimp to pan and cook until shrimp are starting to turn pink, but not thoroughly cooked.
• Remove pan from stove and add brandy. Place back on stove and cook high until alcohol evaporates, about 1 minute.
• Add butter mixture to pan and cook until all is melted and shrimp are cooked and hot.
• Serve shrimp immediately.
• You may serve over hot rice or in a bowl so you can dip crusty bread into the sauce.
• Garnish with lemon.