Another Sunday, another meal prep session. I’m not going to get to making the Korean stuff I had planned but I did just give this stew a shot.
Italian Lentil and Sausage Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Italian sausage
- 1 1/4 cups lentils (green or brown)
- 2-3 leeks, cleaned and sliced into half-moons
- 2 organic carrots, scrubbed and diced (unpeeled)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups chicken broth (enough to cover)
- Italian herb blend
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Balsamic vinegar for finishing
Instructions
Coarsely chop onions, carrots, garlic, and leeks. Rinse leeks and rinse to remove dirt. Cut sausages into bite-size pieces. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, brown the whole sausages over medium heat until nicely colored on all sides (about 8-10 minutes). Push them to one side of the pot. In the cleared space, add onions, leeks, and carrots. Let them cook in the sausage fat, stirring occasionally and moving around the sausages, until vegetables are softened (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add tomato paste to the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to caramelize the paste. Deglaze and reduce for 3 minutes. Add lentils and enough chicken broth to cover everything by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes or until lentils are medium tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. The finished dish should be stewlike - not too soupy, but with enough liquid to be rich and saucy. If it gets too thick while cooking, add more hot broth. Serve with gorgonzola on the side.
Notes
Pretty decent on the first try but lacking in pop. Might need to jazz this up a bit with some red pepper flakes or something. Might also add a diced up apple of a more tart variety or some kale.