Classic Spanish Lentil Stew

Steps

1. Heat a large deep fry pan or stockpot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
2. After heating the olive oil for about two minutes, add half of an onion (finely diced), half of a green bell pepper (finely chopped), half of a red bell pepper (finely chopped), and four cloves of garlic (roughly minced) to the pan.
3. Mix the vegetables continuously until they are lightly sautéed and the onion is translucent, which takes about six minutes. If using pork sausage, add it now and cook it with the vegetables.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón de la vera) and mix quickly to coat all the vegetables.
5. Pour in half a cup of tomato sauce and raise the heat to medium-high; let the tomato sauce simmer for about three minutes until it thickens up.
6. While the tomato sauce simmers, rinse one cup of uncooked brown lentils under cold running water. (You can also use black or green lentils).
7. Add the rinsed lentils into the pan along with two small potatoes (or one large potato cut into 1/2 inch pieces) and one carrot (cut into 1/4 inch rounds).
8. Season with a generous portion of freshly cracked black pepper and mix until everything is evenly combined.
9. Pour in 5 cups of vegetable broth (or water with a bouillon cube), add one bay leaf, and give it a quick mix.
10. Continue to cook on medium-high heat until the broth comes to a boil. Once boiling, place a lid on the pan and lower the heat to low.
11. Simmer the stew on low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the lentils and potatoes to become perfectly cooked.
12. After about 35 minutes, season the lentils with sea salt and give it a gentle mix. Simmer for another one to two minutes until the salt incorporates into the stew.
13. Remove the pan from the heat.