Chorizo Lentil Stew

First, fill a large cooking vessel with the rinsed lentils and add a bouillon cube. Then, pour in enough water to cover the lentils by two inches and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Continue cooking until the lentils are just tender, which should take around 20 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the cooking surface over medium-high heat. Add sliced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's nicely browned, taking about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a plate.

Add diced bacon to the skillet and cook until it's lightly browned but still soft, taking around 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a cutting board and chop; leave the remaining bacon drippings in the pan.

In the same skillet, cook a mixture of chopped tomato, tomatillo, onion, and garlic in the bacon drippings until they're soft, taking about 5 minutes. Add half a cup of water and chopped cilantro to the mixture; transfer it to a blender.

Using caution, hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel and carefully start the blender. Begin by running it for a few quick pulses to get the mixture moving, then leave it on and blend until smooth.

Combine the blended vegetable purée with the cooked chorizo, bacon, cumin, and lentil-broth mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup is hot and well combined, taking about 5 minutes.

Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and top with crumbled cotija cheese and a dollop of sour cream.