This winter, lentils and spicy sausage has been my favourite - so much so I've made it about once a week, ringing the changes depending on what's in the fridge.
I like it because leftovers keep well for two or three days so you only have to heat up a portion and add a few veges for dinner to be ready.
This dish was inspired by my neighbours, Charlotte and Pierre, who is French, who cooked a delicious version for us and served it with creamy mashed potato with a salad to follow.
Lentils with sausage (or bacon, pork belly or salted pork) is a hearty, one-pot country dish common over much of Europe and other parts of the world.
At its simplest it can be substantial and warming, and can even become a soup if you add more water, but it can also be a posh dish if you use the expensive Puy lentils and game such as pheasant or confit duck legs, as you see on some restaurant menus.
And, of course vegetarian versions can be made by leaving out the meat and, if you like, substituting chunks of vegetable such as pumpkin, kumara or potatoes, or adding chopped spinach or silver beet towards the end of cooking. I've sometimes added cooked chickpeas or beans as well. Vegetarian versions are nice with feta crumbled over.
I use ordinary brown lentils as they are cheap and hold their shape better than the orange ones.
A good spicy sausage adds to the flavour - andouille from Havoc, rookwurst from Touch of Dutch or Organicland's beef sausages at the Otago Farmers Market are excellent, bringing different flavours to the dish, but I've also used chorizo and other well-flavoured supermarket sausages, and bacon.
This dish takes about 5 minutes to make and 20 minutes to cook - just enough time to prepare some accompanying veges or have a relaxing glass of wine. But it's a forgiving dish and if you have a second glass of wine before dinner, it won't be spoiled as long as you don't let it burn.
Serves 4, but you can easily double or triple the quantities. Leftovers keep well in the fridge.
Basic ingredients:
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
A little olive oil
1 cup brown lentils (they expand when cooked!)
2-4 spicy sausages cut into chunks
3 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional flavourings
1 carrot
A stick or two of celery
fresh herbs such as thyme, marjoram, parsley, or spice such as coriander, cumin or paprika.
Method:
Chop the onion and garlic, carrot and celery if using, and cook gently in the olive oil for a few minutes. Tip in the lentils and sausage pieces, add herbs or spices and stir in well.
Add water (you could use wine or stock or vegetable cooking water as well), bring to the boil, put the lid on the pot, reduce heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and season as necessary (the sausage may have added enough salt already). If the water has all been absorbed add a little more. If there is too much water, take the lid off and let it evaporate for the last few minutes of cooking.
The water should be mostly absorbed, but if you want to serve the dish as a soup, add more water or stock at the beginning.
To check if cooked, taste a lentil and if it is soft it's ready.
Serve with mashed potato, roasted vegetables or fresh crusty bread, and steamed cabbage, silver beet or brussels sprouts, or a salad to follow.
