Recipe: Lentils and Spicy Sausages

I am always on the hunt for new recipes and occasionally my husband sends me a recipe he wants me to make. Now sometimes I flat out say no because the labor required to make it or the lack of ingredients available for it. But other times, like this one, he picks a good one.

I followed the directions to a T on this recipe and I found that it takes a bit longer than stated, so I have made those changes to it.

Warning...this doesn't photograph well, but it tastes amazing.

LENTILS AND SPICY SAUSAGES

Serves: 4
Recipe from: Jenna from the Fresh Tastes Blog

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced small
1 stalk of celery, diced small
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups dry green lentils
1 quart chicken stock (I use low sodium)
1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 large hot Italian sausages (you can see mild if you don't like spice)
salt
splash of red wine vinegar
olive oil
cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add in your onions, carrots and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Then add the minced garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Make sure not to burn your garlic.

3. Add in the rosemary, dried thyme, bay leaf smoked paprika and lentils. Make sure you rinse your lentils if the package tells you to. Mix everything and then add in the chicken stock. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce heat to a bit higher than a simmer (around medium low to low).

4. Right after you start simmering, place your sausages on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Roast your sausages for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cook time. You want to make sure your sausages are crispy and golden before removing them from the oven.

5. Check everything at 25 minutes, but mine took about 35 minutes to cook through and absorb most of the liquid. Add in our dijon mustard and the red wine vinegar. My red wine vinegar has a slit in the top and I just shook it three times for my splash of red wine vinegar. Stir and continue simmering until all of the liquid is absorbed.

6. Once your sausages are done and the liquid is gone from the lentils, combine everything and season with additional salt as needed. I didn't need any extra. Enjoy!