Italian Sausages with Umbrian Lentils
Umbrian lentils from Italy are a delicious treat. Unlike the widely known brown lentil in America, Umbrian lentils are creamy on the inside but don’t lose their shape unless they are badly overcooked. Be sure to wash the lentils and pick through them to remove stones and debris to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Serves 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound (2¼ cups) dry lentils
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 strips apple wood smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup tomato puree
- Water, veg or chicken stock
- 6 sweet Italian sausages or your sausage of choice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 lemon
Directions
1. Clean the lentils, see headnote. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Peel and trim the garlic cloves; leave whole. Peel, trim, and dice the carrots into ¼-inch cubes. Dice the onion finely. Wash, trim, and dice the celery into ¼-inch cubes.
3. Heat a Dutch oven or 4-quart pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and render it until it exudes fat and starts to brown. Turn up the heat and add the diced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables until they start to brown, season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the lentils to the pot and sauté until the lentils are warm to the touch. Add the bay leaf. Add the tomato puree and enough liquid to cover the lentils by 1 inch and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Taste the broth for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add more liquid if it dips below the surface of the lentils.
5. Turn off the heat. Place the sausage on top of the lentils, drizzle with olive oil, add more liquid if needed, and move the pan to the oven and cook uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.
6. Remove the bay leaf and set the sausages aside on a plate. Use a slotted spoon to spoon the lentils into shallow bowls. Place the sausages on top of the lentils. Take one cup of lentil broth and season to taste. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the chopped parsley, and a squeeze of lemon, and spoon over the top of the sausages. Serve immediately.
Note: The lentils can be made up to four days ahead of time. Store them in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Variation for a fabulous, hearty soup: Remove the bay leaf, then puree 1 cup of the lentils. Add back to the pot. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little stock or water. Season to taste.
Umbrian Lentils (imported from Italy) may be purchased from The Vineyard Kitchen Larder.