LENTILS

This recipe is from my mother, literally copied from an email she sent me in 2003 and that I still use:

"If the lentils are small it is not necessary to put them into water, just wash them, if they are large leave them in water a for a few hours before cooking.

We put in the pot a bit of olive oil, some garlic, half an onion, a green pepper, a tomato, a carrot and a leek if you have some and you like it.

Add the lentils, cover everything with water and bring it to boil. 

While the food is cooking you can add some potatos a handful of rice.

Let it cook until the lentils are tender. If you use a pressure cooker the time is around 15 minutes, if not it will take about an hour or more.

Be careful because if the lentils get too dry burn they taste horrible. If you need to add some water it needs to be COLD.

At the same time you can add some other ingredients, such as chorizo, black pudding, bacon, chicken... If you want to add some beef you will have to cook it first because it takes much longer than the lentils to be tender.

Of course salt it to your own taste"

Note: I use two handfuls of lentils per person and one for the pot.