I loved this dish. But then again, I ❤ lentils.
I loved all the different textures in the dish, as well as the strong flavors and, while it looks and sounds like a labor intensive dish, a lot of the meal cooks itself while you get on with something else, which is how I like to cook - no frenetic hurrying to get timings right in my kitchen please!
This is a lovely comfort food meal but, based on the colors, I think I will add it to my late fall recipe repertoire. It looked very autumnal to me before I scarfed it down. Though there are those who will judge, I admit that I also ate a whole bunch of the lentils after dinner, straight from the pot as I was cleaning up the kitchen, and then polished off the remainder as a midnight snack. They were that good.
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
2 cups brown lentil ( rinse them well and remove any debris or husks that float to the surface of the rinsing water)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped + 2 whole cloves unpeeled
2 red peppers
2 chorizo sausages, casings removed and cubed
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp rice or white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp + 2 tsps + 2 tsps olive oil
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking tray with foil.
Wash the peppers, Half them and remove the seeds and stems. Place the 4 red pepper halves and the 2 unpeeled cloves of garlic on the baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until soft.
While the peppers are cooking, start on the lentils. Place 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, along with the chopped onion, chopped garlic and cubed chorizo. Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. the chorizo is starting to release its oil and spice, and the whole thing smells heavenly.
Lower the heat, stir in the lentils to combine and throw in the bay leaf. You CANNOT make lentils without a bay leaf - it is a marriage made in heaven. Add 4 cups of water and cover. Cook for 25-35 minutes until tender but still retaining their shape. Check at 20 minutes just in case, and add a bit more water if they are starting to get dry.
While the lentils are cooking, get started on the chicken. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet. Rub the chicken on all sides with the thyme and some salt. As soon as the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side down. Lower the heat and let cook for 25 to 30 minutes without disturbing the chicken pieces, basting the tops with the pan juices from time to time. Your chicken will be done when juices run clear when a fork is stuck into the thickest part of the meat next to the bone.
By this time the peppers should be done. Remove from the oven, pop off the 2 garlic skins and dump the peppers, garlic, pepper juices and cooking oil into the blender along with some salt, the paprika and the vinegar. Blend well, check for salt and vinegar and adjust to your palate. Set aside.
And by this time both the chicken and the lentils should be done. If the lentils are ready a few minutes before the chicken, check to see how much liquid is left in the pan (if any), drain and place back in the covered pan. They will be fine. If the chicken finishes early, turn off the heat and place the chicken in a warm oven to wait. Don't cover the pan, even with foil, or the chicken skin will decrisp. Despite all this prose, this is a pretty easy going and forgiving dish.
To serve, place a piece of crispy skinned chicken on top of a mound of lentils and drizzle dramatically with the red pepper Romesco.
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