Smoky Sausage and Lentil Braise

Dice the onion and carrot into uniform small pieces. Mince the garlic. Cut the tomatoes into rough dice. Slice the sausages into thick rounds, about 2 centimeters each.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole over medium heat. Add the diced onion and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomato and cook until it begins to break down and release its juices, about 5 minutes more.

Push the sofrito to one side of the pan. Add the smoked paprika directly to the hot oil and stir it for 30 seconds to bloom its flavor. Mix it thoroughly into the sofrito.

Nestle the sliced sausages into the sofrito. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes per side to allow them to brown and release their rendered fat into the pan.

Pour in the water and bring to a gentle boil. Season with salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to low.

Add the rinsed lentils to the pot. Stir to combine everything. Cover partially and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Check occasionally and add a splash of water if the braise thickens too much.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or smoked paprika as needed. The broth should be glossy and coat the lentils nicely.

Remove from heat and let the braise rest for 5 minutes. Ladle into deep bowls, ensuring each portion gets sausages and plenty of lentils in their smoky tomato broth. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.