Lentejas (Spanish lentil soup)

To cook the lentejas recipe, soak the lentils in plenty of water and leave to stand for an hour. This helps the lentils to soften and reduces the cooking time.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and paprika and sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft. The addition of paprika at this point allows the flavors of the spice to fully come through.

Add the tomatoes and chorizo to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. Searing the chorizo releases the spicy aroma and gives the soup a unique flavor.

Add the soaked and drained lentils, bay leaves, paprika and water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. From this point on, you only need to stir occasionally and leave the soup to simmer on a low heat.

Cover the pan and cook the Spanish lentil soup over a low heat for about 60 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Make sure that the soup does not boil over: it should only simmer gently.