Quick Homemade Sausage and Lentil Soup

By KimberlyB

Ingredients

• For the Sausage:
• 1 pound ground pork
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (a splash)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh chili flakes, crushed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed, ground fennel or fennel pollen
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion, 1/3 palmful
• A few grates of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• For the Lentils:
• 1 cup lentils
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 small onion, left whole
• For the Soup Base:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 bunch parsley, stems chopped
• 2 to 3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 quart veal stock or beef stock
• Grated Pecorino and finely chopped parsley tops, to finish

Details

Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from RachelRay.com

Preparation

Step 1

Combine sausage ingredients in a bowl and let stand 15 minutes.

Place lentils in pot with bay, onion and some salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender but with a bite left to them, 20-22 minutes. Drain and discard the bay and onion.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil, a few turns of the pan, in medium soup pot. Add carrot, onion, celery, parsley stems, rosemary and potato, and season with salt and pepper. Cover to sweat, 6-8 minutes. Add stock and 2 cups water, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer.

While soup comes to boil, heat a little oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and crumble and brown, 5-7 minutes. Drain fat and add to the soup along with the lentils. If not serving right away, cool and store then reheat over medium flame.

Serve soup in shallow bowls garnished with parsley and Pecorino.