Lentils are a traditional dish that, in addition to having a delicious taste and being a very healthy meal, is prepared with use. The recipe passes from generation to generation and can give to eat several days, to the point that when the lentils are scarce you can throw rice or quinoa and give for a new ration. In that case, we obtain a very complete protein when mixing legume and cereal.
The mixture of flavors when gathering legumes with vegetables together with the protein from the sausage or ham is very tasty and gives a lot of energy. But there is a key element in the preparation of this dish that our grandmothers use, capable of giving even more flavor to this dish.
In these cold days and the spoon dishes are very much appreciated, it is time to look at that old recipe to offer a special touch to the lentil dish. While it is usual to use a ham bone in the preparation of this dish or pour and pieces of sausage so that the taste is more intense, not everyone knows another trick to obtain that special taste that we remember from our childhood.
It is a part of the ham that is normally thrown in the houses because it is considered that it cannot be used, but precisely for this dish it is perfect. You can also buy in the charcerías and jamonerías, although sometimes you have to ask the Charcutero to keep us. We talk about the bark of ham that can also give a crispy texture.
Over low heat
While, the ham cortex can be very caloric, it can be consumed in moderation and, thus, get a tasty lentil dish. The ham cortex provides flavor, not only to lentils, also to other stews and potajes.
To cook this ham cortex you have to cut it with the help of a knife in small strips that must be slowly cooked in a pan so that all the fat that we have not been able to remove is founded. After that, we will have some torreznos that we can throw directly to our spoon dish. We can also eat soft if they are cooked and leave the biggest pieces to remove them at the end of cooking.
Ham bark They can also be found as an appetizer And even in bags such as bark or torreznos, but what interests us exclusively for the preparation of this stew is the bark as is, without the part of the bacon.
The lentils provide vegetable proteins and the bark provides animal proteins. In addition, a ration of lentils is an incredible fiber source, which is essential to facilitate digestion and prevent constipation. It also helps regulate cholesterol levels and blood sugar and increases the feeling of satiety.
On the other hand, this dish provides complex carbohydrates, which are slowly absorbed, which provides energy constantly throughout the day. In addition, this meal does not contain added sugars and practically either simple sugars.
A plate of lentils contributes about 500 kcal per ration That, taking into account proteins, carbohydrates and some healthy fats that it contributes, it is a relatively low amount. This makes lentils A nutritious and satiating dish.
How to cook a good plate of lentils
If we want to prepare this dish that houses so well with autumn and winter stations, we can prepare it as follows. In the first place, before the question of whether the lentils must be soaked, the answer is that it is not always necessary. In the case of good quality lentils and that the water was soft, it would be enough to rinse them in the tap. In this case it would be necessary for an hour for cooking in a normal pot or less time if we talk about a pressure cooker.
In the case of the water, it is hard, it would have to be soaked. Many lentil packages are already with time indications in the event that we have hard or soft waters.
When cooking the ingredients and we have our torreznos cooked over low heat, we must add more ingredients to get a really tasty dish.
We peel and chop two carrots on the slice, also an onion, a green pepper, a grated tomato, two cloves of garlic, a spoonful of sweet paprika, a bay leaf, two tablespoons of olive oil, pieces of sausage and salt, taste.
In the hot pot, the garlic, the green pepper, the sausage and the onion until golden are slow. Then we add the carrots in slices and the grated tomato. Once the sauce is prepared, it will only be necessary to incorporate the ham bark and cook everything together for three or four minutes so that the flavors are mixed.
After that we pour the washed and drained lentils in the pot, seasoned with a bay leaf, letting them cook. After a while we got the best dish of the grandmothers, with that point of the ham bark that makes it unique. Cooking water will soften the bark, leaving an exquisite texture and flavor that will transform our lentils into a dish Gourmet.
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