I don’t really know what to call this, sausages and lentils seems a bit bald, uninspiring really and in no way conveys the lip smacking cosiness of it. Also, I know several people not keen on lentils or indeed pulses of any kind which seems such a shame. They work so well in a braise such as this or in soups, cold in salads, in dahls and curries….. Still if they are not your cup of tea I quite understand and believe I may have been slow to embrace them myself.
This one I believe is a winner however and, it being the school holidays, my daughter stood over me whilst I took the photograph asking when she could eat it. You can either make this with good pork sausages or as I did today with venison sausages. The gaminess of the latter works a treat with the lentils and I added half a teaspoon of redcurrant jelly to reinforce the sweet flavour of the meat. With the pork version I would be tempted to add a dollop of dijon to my plate. Either way it is a one pot winner, wilted spinach, spring greens or some kale would be a delicious accompaniment.
Sausages and Lentils
6 sausages
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 leek, finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 teaspoons olive oil
100g puy lentils
500ml chicken stock
100ml red wine
Put one teaspoon of oil in a large pan and brown the sausages, removing them to a plate when done. Add the second teaspoon of oil and soften the onion, leek and carrot for a few minutes until soft. Stir the lentils into the vegetables and then add the wine and stock. Put the sausages back into the pan and then simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are done and the sausages cooked though (add the redcurrant jelly here if you are using it – see introduction). This serves two but can easily be doubled.
Anna – have just been browsing through your website and it is amazing! I am a lover of lentils (the only one in the family) but I aim to convert them all with this recipe. Will let you know how it goes down.
Thank you so much, lovely comment, please do make it although you can let Charlie know that his Godson feels the same way about lentils….
this is such a delicious and easy recipe. It has most of my favourite ingredients (a list topped by sausages) and the fact that it requires only one pot is a big plus when it comes to the washing up! It is also I feel a great recipe to feed to those who claim not to like lentils as this is them in their best light.
Thank you!
Thank you James!
Well, this worked a treat (though knowing you well, I can’t imagine why it shouldn’t). I guess I was suspicious that your recipe contained quite so much liquid for the amount of lentils as the instructions on my packet (Merchant Gourmet) said double the liquid quantity not x6 as you stipulate. But hey, I went with what you said, assuming that the carrots, onion and leek might account for that. And you were so right. Of course.
The only alteration I did was to add some sprigs of thyme. Not such an original addition as thyme is often used in conjunction with lentils but it goes particularly well in this case.
It was quite delicious. I used proper 85% Cumberland sausages as I had them in the fridge and they were nice (I’m Cumbrian and acutely biased) but I agree you need sausages that are quite strong in flavour so your suggested venison would be ideal or Toulouse perhaps. Any bog standard supermarket bangers would certainly be lost and the dish would certainly be ‘bald’.