LUSCIOUS LENTIL STEW

LUSCIOUS LENTIL STEW
Lentils are a great pantry staple; they can be made into all kinds of dishes and
unlike other legumes cook in about half an hour. For this get the good old
dependable greeny-brown lentils; the orange, red, or black ones tend to get
mooshy. For 4, you’ll need:
Olive oil for sautéing
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2-3 fresh sweet Italian sausage links, sliced
1 Tb. tomato paste
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ C. dry lentils
3 C. stock, broth, or water
4-5 leaves kales, stemmed and chopped (optional)
Salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes (to taste)
Splash of red wine vinegar
Sauté the vegetables in the oil till they start to soften, then add the sausages.
Cook and stir on medium low till the sausages are almost done, then add the
garlic and cook about another minute. Stir in the tomato paste, add the lentils and
stock, and bring to a boil. As soon as it’s boiling, turn the stew down to a gentle
simmer and cook till the lentils are soft – about 20 to 30 minutes. Toward the end
of the cooking time add the kale – it’s really good. When the lentils are done, add
the seasonings and the vinegar if you want, serve in big bowls with some good
bread on the side, and be very happy!