Showing Lentils some Love/ Nourishing Lentil and Sausage Soup

 Loving Lentils

I have a love affair with lentils. All legumes and pulses really, but lentils are my favourite. They are an excellent nutritious plant based protein high in iron and phosphorus. They come in several different varieties and each one has a slightly different taste profile. For example, brown and green lentils are firmer, hold their shape and have a deep, earthy taste whereas red and yellow lentils are sweeter and break down when cooked. Black beluga lentils taste more like black beans. Lentils are the perfect addition to soups, salads, stews and work great as braised side dishes. Knowing the difference between lentils can help you decide which type of lentil to use. For soup, I use a combination of brown, black or green lentils and some orange (will melt right down adding sweetness and making soup thicker). They are reasonable priced, have a long shelf life and you don't need to precook them when making soups! I keep both canned and dried lentils in my pantry. If I am wanting a salad then I can easily grab a can of  lentils. It's important to wash your lentils before using. Rinse dried lentils and pick through to remove any little pebbles of off coloured lentils. Rinse canned lentils to remove excess salt. I prefer dried lentils as I can control the amount of salt. Canned lentils have a high salt content.

 

Lentils as well as other pulses and legumes are a staple in the Mediterranean Diet. There is a tradition on New Years Eve that dates back to Ancient Rome.  It was believed that lentils symbolized health, prosperity and good luck. Romans would give each other pouches of dried lentils just after midnight to wish each other a healthy and prosperous New Year. Many Italians continue to celebrate this tradition on New Years Eve by eating a bowl of lentil soup or braised lentils shortly after midnight! The way last year went I would say we could all use a little more luck on our side!

Nourishing Lentil and Sausage Soup

This is the perfect winter soup to warm you up. Serve with crusty bread and a side salad and you have a nourishing and comforting meal. I always make lots of this soup so that I can have leftovers for lunches or for another meal! Brown lentils would be the best choice for this soup as it holds its shape well and has an earthy flavour that goes well with the pork sausages. Whether using dried or canned lentils you should always rinse them in a small colander. If using dried, pick through them for any bad lentils or small pebbles.

✴this recipe can be easily altered to make a meatless soup. Leave out the sausage and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock! Tastes great for a Meatless Monday night!

Ingredients

• 4  garlic Italian sausages or hot sausages (this soup is great with a bit of spice too!)
• 1.5 cups brown lentils
• 1/2 cup of red lentils
• 5 carrots chopped
• 5 celery stalks chopped (if you have the leaves then chop them in as well)
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 scallion diced 
• 3 garlic cloves diced
• 4-5 potatoes washed, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• 1 can Italian whole cherry tomatoes (498 ml)
• approximately 10 cups of chicken stock or 3 containers of stock (900 ml each)
• 2 tsps dried oregano (QB)
• 2 tsps dried and crushed rosemary (QB)
• 2 tbsp of Italian seasoning (QB)
• 3 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to your preference (a piacere)
• spinach fresh or swiss chard (QB)- fresh or frozen

Directions

1. Add olive oil to a large stockpot or dutch oven.  Warm up oil and reduce to medium temperature.
2. Remove casings from sausages and add them to the pot.
3. Break down the sausages using a wooden spoon. Leave them in bite size chunks.
4. Add onions to the pot once the sausages have browned. They do not need to be cooked through. Add 1 tsp or oregano and rosemary and half the Italian seasonings and some pepper.
5. Allow onions to cook down for a few minutes and then add garlic. Stirring frequently incorporate sausages and onions until onions are translucent. 
6. Add carrots and celery and continue sauteing.
7. Add in the lentils and stir them into the mixture. Let them saute for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring so they don't stick to bottom of pot. You can add a tbsp of water if needed.
8. Add the rest of spices and a bit of salt and pepper.
9. Add can of cherry tomatoes. Break up the tomatoes with the wooden spoon. Add water to the can and stir it, add to pot.
10. Scrape bottom of pot to release all the yummy bits.
11. Add potatoes.
12. Add chicken stock and bay leaves. The stock should fully cover the soup contents with room to spare as lentils will expand  and potatoes will absorb water a bit when cooked. It also depends if you prefer your soup thick or more liquidy. 
13. Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat to low. Maintain a constant simmer so that lentils can cook.
14. Lentils will be done in about half an hour or so. Taste test regularly and adjust seasonings as needed.
15. Add greens 5 minutes before serving.
16. Ladle into bowls and drizzle good quality extra virgin olive oil on top.
17. Pronto per mangiare!

Buon Appetito!

Fatto con amore,

Elena 💜

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