Lentils and Sausage, Braised in Red Wine
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 1 pound (4 links) Italian sausage, taken out of the casing and broken into large bite-sized pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
  • 1½ cups Puy lentils (those little black ones)
  • 2 cups red wine
  • Salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2½ ounces fresh spinach
  • Mashed potatoes or bread, for serving
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan over high heat, brown 1 pound of sausage (I used 3 links sweet Italian and 1 link hot Italian) in a little oil, potentially in two batches if the pan seems crowded. Remove the sausage to a plate.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the veggies have lost their crunch and the onion is translucent. Add 3 whole cloves garlic, then return the sausage to the pan. Add the lentils, wine, 2 ½ cups water, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf.
  3. Raise the heat to high again, and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the lentils are tender. You can easily make this ahead of time--cool before storing in the fridge and reheat in the pan for serving.
  4. Just before serving, add 2.5 ounces fresh spinach and stir to let the leaves wilt. Taste for salt, adding more as needed. Remove the bay leaf.
  5. Serve with mashed potatoes or over toasted bread.
Recipe by Big Girls Small Kitchen at http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2013/01/lentils-and-sausage-braised-in-red-wine.html