Basic beans -- Lentil Chili

My first exposure to lentils was in a sunny plaza somewhere in Spain;  Toledo, I think.  I hadn't been eating all that well lately -- Spanish food has some spectacular highs, but then sometimes you get a bowl of tiny fish, fried whole, and you don't really feel like bones and scales for lunch.  So I was hungry, but this lentil stew was still fantastic -- deep and rich and savory and comforting, even if you (like me) had never had lentils before.  Although the details have faded by now, I keep trying to recreate that stew.  I think I'm passably close now.

This recipe started life as a meatless "chili" in Bon Appetit, and the first time I made it, the lentils never totally softened up -- they were still a little crunchy.  It turns out that beans of all types are sensitive to pH -- in acidic conditions they stay firm, in basic conditions they go soft.  So if you're cooking dry beans, you want to hold off on adding any acidic ingredients (like the tomatoes in this recipe) until the beans are already soft, or you may be waiting a very, very long time.  (Or eating crunchy beans.  Yuck.)  For insurance, you can also add a tiny pinch of baking soda (like 1/16 t, or less) to ensure the water is not acidic.  (Don't add much, or you'll likely get an off, soapy taste from the soda.  Also yuck.)

I also added meat to the recipe -- in Spain, "vegetarian" is generally interpreted as "with less ham".  The Toledo stew probably featured (hard, cured, Spanish-style) chorizo, but Italian sausage or ground beef or even bacon would add a welcome richness.  The ascetics and vegetarians among you may leave it out, of course.

In a medium-large pot, brown

1. 1/2 lb Spanish-style chorizo (or other sausage)

If you omit the meat, you'll need 2 t olive oil instead.  Now add

1. 1/2 c chopped onion

and saute until slightly softened.  Stir in

1. 2 cloves garlic, minced
2. 1 T mild ground red chile, such as New Mexico, or more to taste
3. 1 T ground cumin
4. 1 t dried oregano

You can find bags of ground chile powders for cheap in the Mexican foods section of most markets.  I've found the heat can vary considerably from batch to batch, so start slowly and add more if you need it.  I've substituted California chiles when I can't find New Mexico, but they're generally hotter.  If your pepper is very mild or you like things very hot, you may want to add some cayenne pepper as well, say 1/8 t to start.  Now stir in

1. 4 c water, plus more as needed
2. 1/4 c red wine (optional)
3. 1 c dried brown lentils, rinsed
4. small pinch (< 1/16 t) baking soda

Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.  Stir in

1. 1/3 c tomato paste (that's most of a 6 oz can)

Continue to simmer uncovered until chili is thickened and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add water as needed if it gets too thick.  Before serving, stir in

1. 1/3 c sliced green onions

Top with additional green onions and sour cream (if desired) for garnish.  Serves 4 for dinner (3 if you omit the meat).