Sopa de Lentejas (Andalucian Lentil Soup)

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon just until it starts to brown a bit, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the olive oil, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, sausage, and bay leaf; cook about 4 minutes. Add lentils and water (water should be about an inch deeper than the level of the lentils). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Put the potatoes into the soup and continue simmering until potatoes are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cook's Note

Use Spanish sausage, not Mexican, in this recipe. Spanish chorizo is a firm, fully cooked sausage; Mexican chorizo is uncooked. You can substitute Portuguese linguica or other types of smoked sausage for the chorizo.