Lentil casserole is a dish made with lentils cooked in broth with vegetables, often including sausage and chorizo, but vegetarian and vegan options exist using potatoes and root vegetables. The dish is cooked in a skillet with stock and spices, and can include other liquids like port. Sausages and chorizo are fried before adding vegetables and lentils, and the mixture is cooked for about 30 minutes.
Lentil casserole is a casserole prepared with any type of lentils that are usually cooked in broth along with some vegetables. Legumes such as lentils are common ingredients in vegetarian cooking, but many lentil casserole recipes include sausage and chorizo, and as such are not suitable for vegetarians. Some lentil casserole recipes are vegetarian and vegan, however, often use potatoes as the main ingredient. The process of making lentil casserole generally involves browning any sausages; fry onion, garlic and other vegetables; adding the lentils; and then pouring into stock. Most dishes include herbs and spices such as red pepper flakes, parsley and thyme.
Any dish cooked in the same pot it is served in that includes lentils can be classified as a lentil casserole. Most dishes classified as casseroles are cooked in the oven in one stock, but one of these can differ without affecting the title of the dish. Most lentil casseroles are cooked in a skillet on the stove and usually include vegetable or chicken stock. Some recipes use other liquids such as port as part of the sauce.
Many lentil casserole recipes aren’t vegetarian or vegan because they contain sausage and chorizo, but some are still available for non-meat eaters. Potatoes are often used as a substitute ingredient in vegetarian and vegan meals, along with root vegetables such as parsnips and carrots. These are usually cooked in the casserole along with the onions and garlic before the lentils are added to the mixture.
Sausages and chorizo are popular add-on ingredients in lentil casserole and are used to give the dish added flavor. Chorizo is a cured Spanish sausage that is very similar to salami and pepperoni. Chefs usually fry the sausages and chorizo before adding any vegetables when making lentil casserole. Typically, sausages will be cooked until browned on all sides and then removed for the next part of the cooking process.
After the sausages and chorizo have been fried, the onion and garlic are usually added to the pan. The chefs allow them to cook until the onions start to soften, then add any other vegetables such as carrots or parsnips. The sausages are returned to the pan, and then some chefs insert the lentils to allow them to absorb the flavour. Chicken or vegetable stock is then added and the pan is covered with a lid to retain moisture. Most chefs let the mixture cook for about half an hour before serving.
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