Autumn in a spoonful: a comforting dish for the arrival of the cold

The days are getting shorter and the temperature is dropping. Autumn has already set in; we have taken sweaters and umbrellas out from the back of the closet. With the arrival of the cold, those seasonal products we had forgotten also arrive; the kitchen fills with warm colors and comforting dishes that invite us to enjoy local products. Mushrooms, pumpkin, and legumes become great allies of this time of year, when it feels good to get back to spoon-fed, nutritious, and flavor-packed recipes.

Below, we propose a simple recipe that will be an autumn capsule in every spoonful. The recipe captures the comfort of a lentil dish, with the creaminess of pumpkin and the aroma of mushrooms. A simple, healthy dish, ideal for welcoming autumn with seasonal ingredients.

Lentils with mushrooms and pumpkin

Ingredients for 2 people

• 160 g of dry lentils
• 1 onion
• 1/2 joint
• 1 tomato
• 1 clove of garlic
• 125 g of seasonal mushrooms
• 150 g of pumpkin 
• 35-40 g of blue cheese
• Fresh thyme (to taste)
• 1/2 nyora pepper
• 750 ml of vegetable broth
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Preparation

• Wash and drain the lentils. Set them aside.
• Hydrate the nyora pepper in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain it, remove the seeds and, with a spoon, extract the pulp. Chop it.
• Chop the onion, the leek and the garlic. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and cut them into large pieces.
• Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into cubes of about 2 centimeters.
• In a frying pan, sauté the garlic, onions, and leek with a little olive oil for about 15 minutes, until everything is well caramelized.
• Add the nyora pulp and the tomatoes. Stir everything together and season with salt and pepper. 
• Clean the mushrooms. If they are very large, cut them into pieces.
• Put the broth and the lentils in a saucepan. Let it simmer gently for between 30 and 60 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
• Halfway through cooking, add the sautéed vegetables, a sprig of thyme, and the pumpkin. After a few minutes, add the mushrooms.
• When the lentils are cooked, adjust the broth so that the stew remains slightly soupy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the stew with a few bits of blue cheese on top.

Discover more recipes in the “Recipes with Taste” section on the Canal Aliments of the Government of Catalonia. Rigorous and verified information about the world of food. Enjoy publications, informative guides, cooking tips, and recipes designed to enjoy a balanced, healthy, and sustainable diet, without having to give up the pleasures of Catalan gastronomy.