French Lentil Soup with Sausage and Kale

By PineyCook

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 Cups French Lentils
• 1 lb Hot or Mild Italian Sausage (Omit for Vegetarian/Vegan)
• 8 oz (2-3 Cups) Kale stems removed and cut into ribbons
• 1 Large Leek diced
• 3 Carrots shredded
• 3 stalks Celery diced
• 1 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 1 Tbs Thyme
• 1/4 Tspn Red Pepper Flakes
• 4 Tbs (Divided) Olive Oil
• 6-7 Cups Water
• Salt and Pepper

Preparation

Step 1

First, make sure you always wash and pick through your lentils. Rarely, they can be mixed in with small stones. I say rarely because I have only ever found 1 stone, but trust me it’s better for you to find the stone with your hands rather than your teeth.

Remove the casing from your sausage, which just looks awful when you take a picture of it… but still do it, it will make breaking it up in the pot a cinch. Heat 2 Tbs of olive oil in the pot and sear the sausage on both sides before breaking it apart. If you try too early then it just starts sticking to your spoon. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat.

Add the red pepper flakes to the sausage fat and then the kale. Season with salt and pepper and sauté the kale for about 2 minutes. Add it to the sausage.

Put the remaining 2 Tbs of olive oil in the pot and add the vegetables. Sauté this mix for about 10 minutes until the vegetables become soft and transparent. Add the thyme, bay leaves, lentils and 6 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for 25 – 30 minutes until the lentils are done. Add the vinegar, kale, sausage and any more water to achieve the consistency you want. Cook for 5 more minutes to reheat the kale and sausage.

Serve immediately. This soup saves well and tastes even better the next day.

Bon Appétit.