Lentil and Sausage Stew

1 pound housemade DFC Pork Mild Italian Sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow or red onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4-5 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium gold potato, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs blend

1 cup French green lentils

1 bay leaf

1 quart veggie or chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 bunch kale, destemmed and chopped

1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced

fresh bread for serving

Remove sausage casings, placing sausage pieces in a large pot with deep sides. Heat over medium until browned, using your spoon to break up the pieces, about 7 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add onions, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs and stir. Then add the lentils, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are soft, about 25 minutes.

Remove lid and add lemon juice, reserved sausage and kale pieces. Cook until the kale has softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and finish by removing the bay leaf and stirring in the parsley.

Serve hot with fresh bakery bread if that’s your thing. Makes great leftovers!

GF DF

Yield: 6 servings