Spanish Style Lentil Soup with Chorizo, Red Pepper, and Kale

This one is definitely a keeper. Savory, hearty, smoky - and pretty to look at, too. Serve this with biscuits, popovers, or crusty bread. If you want to speed up the cooking process a bit, you can start the lentils cooking in water while you cook the garlic, shallots, and chorizo in a separate pan, then combine them.

Peppers, by the way, will be in season until we have a killing frost. Kale will go right into the winter.

Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium shallots, finely chopped (or substitute a medium onion)
1 lb chorizo, casings removed
2 tsp paprika (substitute pimenton if you have it)
1 cup brown lentils
Water and/or stock (chicken or veg)
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
3 cups kale cut into ribbons (stems removed)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic and shallots and saute over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks, and the paprika. When the chorizo is cooked through, pour of excess fat (I actually use a baster for this and suck it out of the pot). Add the lentils and enough water and/or stock to generously cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender. Add the peppers and kale and simmer for 5 minutes or so, until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.