Recipe for Sausage Lentil Kale Stew, invented by me, yesterday

[Laura Slapikoff]

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp herbes de province (or thyme)
1/2 tsp cumin
1.25 qt organic chicken broth
24 oz no salt added ground tomatoes (I used a box of Pomi)
1 cup dried lentils (any color)
4 cups roughly chopped kale leaves and stems
2 sweet Italian sausages, cut out of casings and torn into chunks
2 spicy Italian sausages, cut out of casings and torn into chunks
grated parmesan cheese
fresh-squeezed lemon juice

In a large stew pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, scallions, black pepper, herbes de province, and cumin. Stir until coated, then heat 5 minutes or so, covered, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, lentils and kale. Stir thoroughly. Cover and raise heat until mixture boils, then simmer, covered, 40 minutes.

Add sausages and continue to simmer and additional 20 minutes.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

Makes approximately 2.5 quarts of stew.

*nota bene: I tend not to cook with a lot of onions and garlic, but they can easily be added by cooks so inclined. However, this stew has a rich, complex flavor without using either of these.