Italian Sausages With Lentils Recipes

ITALIAN SAUSAGES WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• For the lentils:
• Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil into a good-sized saucepan (and one that has a lid that fits) on the heat and when it's warm, add the chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt (which helps prevent its browning) and cook over low to medium heat until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the lentils, stir well and then cover generously with cold water. Bring to the boil, then cover and let simmer gently for 1/2 an hour or so until cooked and most, if not all, the liquid's absorbed. I don't add salt at this stage since the sauce provided by the sausages later (and which will be poured over the lentils) will be pretty salty itself. So, wait and taste. And remember, you can of course cook the lentils in advance.
• Anyway, when either the lentils are nearly ready or you're about to reheat them, put a heavy-based frying pan on the burner, cover with a film of oil and add the bruised garlic. Cook for a few minutes then add and brown the sausages. When the sausages are brown on both sides - which won't take more than 5 minutes or so - throw in the wine and water and let bubble up. Cover the pan, either with a lid or aluminum foil, and cook for about 15 minutes. Using a fork, mash the now-soft garlic into the sauce and taste for seasoning, adding a little more water if it's too strong.
• Remove the lentils to a shallowish bowl or dish (I evacuate the sausages from their cooking pan, plonk the lentils in, then proceed) then cover with the sausages and their garlicky, winey gravy. Sprinkle over some flat-leaf parsley.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH LENTILS & RICE

Steps:

• In a 4-5 quart pan that has a tight fitting lid, over medium, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and once hot, add the onions and cook for three minutes.
• Add the garlic, water, broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper and Italian sausage links and bring to a boil.
• Cover and lower to a slow simmer and cook ten minutes.
• Remove sausages with tongs and drain on paper towels.
• Add the lentils to the pot, again cover and get to a low simmer and cook 30 minutes covered.
• While lentils are cooking, in a large saute pan, add the last tablespoon of oil and over medium heat, brown the sausages for about ten minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Keep the heat on medium and add the wet Tuscan kale leaves and saute a few minutes until wilted, scraping up any brown bits from the pan bottom. Set this aside for now.
• After the lentils have been simmering for 30 minutes, add the dry rice and wilted kale, bring back up to a simmer (make sure there is about two cups of liquid left in pan, if not add a little more water or broth), cover and lower to lowest heat with pan half off burner. Set timer for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove lid, find and discard the bay leaves, and stir in the canned tomatoes with juice.
• Press the cooked whole sausage links into the mixture to reheat, cover and let sit five minutes then serve on a platter with a little additional olive oil drizzled over the top of the platter or serving.

SAUSAGE AND LENTILS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the lentils with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cover part-way to simmer for about 10 minutes (the lentils should be cooked just part-way through (there should be some liquid in the pan still).
• In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat, tossing regularly and breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked and browned.
• Push the sausage to one side of the skillet and add the fennel, garlic, onion, carrots, and fennel seed. Add broth and red wine vinegar.
• Add the par-boiled lentils to the sausage and fennel skillet. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. To serve, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil on top. Serve immediately with your favorite crusty bread

SAUSAGE & LENTIL ONE-POT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pan, cook the sausages until browned, then remove. Tip in remaining oil, onion, garlic and pepper, then cook, about 5 mins more until softened. Add lentils and sausages to the pan with the stock and wine, if using.
• Bring up to the boil, then simmer for 20 mins until lentils have softened and sausages are cooked through. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.