Puy Lentil And Squash Potage With Smoked Paprika And Saffron
Ingredients
- 3-4 handfuls of puy lentils
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 4 mediuum tomatoes, skinned & chopped or 1 medium can chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 butternut squash peeled and cut into large chunks
other vegetables
- 1 large potato peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 stick of celery whole or cut in half
condiments
- 1 sachet or a generous pinch of saffron strands soaked in a little hot water
- 1 tsp smoked La Vera paprika, or more to taste hot or sweet
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds toasted in a dry pan until aromatic, then crushed in a mortar and pestle
- 1/2 tsp lavender flowers fennel seed is a good alternative
- generous pinch or two of oregano or marjoram
- 2 bay leafs
- a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley, stalks and all
- salt to taste
for the "majado"
- 1 clove of garlic
- a few black peppercorns
- a little white wine or lemon juice
- a good glug of best olive oil cold press extra virgin
Instructions
Prepping
- soak the saffron strands in a little hot water. This step is unneccesary for powdered saffron
- wash and peel the onions and other vegetables.
- Cut the squash into large chunks and put aside.
- skin the tomatoes by plunging them in boiling hot water for half a minute, run them under a cold tap, make a couple of small cuts and remove the skin. Keep the seeds to avoid losing vital flavour and goodness. Chop the tomatoes coarsely. Alternatively use chopped canned tomatoes
- toast the cumin and lavender / fennel seeds in a dry pan until they release their aroma. Avoid browning them. Coarsely grind them in a mortar and pestle.
Make The Potage
- Add the onions, tomatoes, celery stalk, whole parsley and all the vegetables except the squash to a large pot with enough water to cover. Add the lentils, toasted spices, paprika, saffron and herbs. The salt goes in at the end as it can lengthen your lentils' cooking-time
- Bring the potage boil and turn down the heat, simmering for 10 minutes. Add the squash, return to the boil, then simmer a further 15-20 minutes uncovered or partially covered only.
- If you need to add a little more water make sure it's boiling hot: cold water will shock your lentils and make them hard
- when the vegetables are cooked and lentils soft but retaining a bite turn off the heat. Remove and discard the celery, parsley and bay leafs. Add a good glug of olive oil, season to taste then leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes
- meanwhile make the "majado" dressing: pound a clove of garlic with 5-6 peppercorns, loosen with a little white wine or lemon juice and water and add to the "potage" just before serving.
- serve with very fresh wholemeal bread and a bowl of olives