Castilian-style lentils with rice

Ingredients

• 2½ glasses Castilian brown lentils (about 450 g)
• 1 glass rice (about 180 g)
• 1 leek
• 1 zucchini
• ½ head garlic (about 6 cloves)
• 2 medium carrots
• 1 handful green beans
• 1¼ liters water
• A drizzle of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (or a mix of sweet and hot)
• Salt

Missing an ingredient?

• What to use instead of olive oil
• What to use instead of rice
• What to use instead of zucchini
• What to use instead of lentils
• What to use instead of leek
• What to use instead of carrots

Instructions

1. Cut the leek into not-too-thin rounds, dice the zucchini and slice the carrots. Cut the green beans into pieces.
2. Put the lentils in a pot over high heat with the vegetables, the whole unpeeled garlic cloves, the water and the salt. When it starts to boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting and partly cover.
3. Cook them for about 45 minutes (check the package: some lentils cook in half the time).
4. 20 minutes before the end, sprinkle in the rice, check the salt, partly cover again and let it finish cooking. Remove the garlic if you like (although it's delicious left in).
5. Separately, heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet and, when it's hot, turn off the heat. Add the paprika, stir it for a few seconds with a wooden spoon and add it right away to the lentils. Don't let the paprika burn, or it turns bitter.
6. If you let them rest (they can be made the night before), they get thicker. If they're dry when you reheat them, add a little water and let them boil for a few minutes.

Nutrition facts

Approximate, per serving (about 399 g). Calculated with data from USDA FoodData Central.