Spanish lentil stew

1Step 1 of 6

Finely chop the vegetables

Dice the onion, pepper and garlic small, and slice the carrot into ¼-inch (½ cm) rounds. Break the potato into chunks: cut halfway with the knife and snap it the rest of the way by twisting, so it releases starch and thickens the broth.

Tip: Snapping the potato instead of cutting it cleanly is a grandmother's move with real chemistry behind it: more broken surface, more starch, thicker broth.

2Step 2 of 6

Make the sofrito slowly

In the pot, with the oil over medium-low heat, soften the onion and pepper for 8 minutes with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic and carrot and cook 4 more minutes. The onion should be translucent and sweet, never browned.

3Step 3 of 6

Paprika off the heat

Take the pot off the heat, add the paprika and stir for 10 seconds. Return it to the heat, add the crushed tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they lose their bright red color and darken.

Tip: If the paprika burns there's no fixing it: it makes the whole stew bitter. Ten seconds off the heat prevents it.

4Step 4 of 6

Lentils, potato and water

Add the drained lentils, the potato chunks, the bay leaf and the cold water. Turn up the heat until it comes to a boil, then lower it right away to a gentle simmer.

5Step 5 of 6

Simmer gently for 30 minutes

Covered and at a very gentle simmer, 30 minutes. Don't stir it or lift the lid every few minutes: moving them around is what breaks them into mush.

Tip: If it's bubbling hard, the lentils knock into each other and fall apart. Always low heat.

6Step 6 of 6

Salt at the end, then rest

Taste a lentil: it should be tender but whole. Salt now (salt at the beginning toughens the skins), turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes before serving.