The shoe designer is sharing a selection of family recipes for the next installation of the Manolo Blahnik Smile initiative
Manolo Blahnik is a superstar in the world of fashion, but not many know that he's quite the stellar chef too. He'll show the culinary genius side of him on the next installation of the Manolo Blahnik Smile initiative, which was created in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation. He and his niece Kristina Blahnik have shared a selection of delicious recipes that give them comfort at home.
They also invite home cooks to challenge themselves with these dishes and post their creations on Instagram with the hashtag #ManoloBlahnikSmiles.
1. Lentil Soup
“A delightfully simple soup which I began cooking at the beginning of lockdown and has remained a staple in my repertoire. It draws out the fantastic flavours of the smoky chorizo sausage, hearty vegetables and nourishing lentils for a dish that I never tire of.” – Manolo Blahnik
INGREDIENTS
- 300g dry lentils
- 225g chorizo sausage
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 celery stick
- 1 carrot
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pinch dried chili
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
METHOD
- Rinse the lentils very thoroughly in a colander and set aside. While that drains, finely chop the celery, carrot, onion and garlic cloves. Slice the sausage into medallions.
- Pour the olive oil into a large pot over low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, approximately 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly for 3 minutes before adding some spicy paprika, hot dried chili and some bay leaves.
- Add the drained lentils and enough water to cover the mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper then bring everything to a simmer. Cover your pot and leave it to simmer for a one hour. Come back and add your sausages and leave to cook for another 20 minutes.
- To serve, ladle into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and there you have a delicious bowl of goodness, perfect for the winter season.