Lentils look like little coins, this is why some Italian families will serve them on New Years Day in hopes of prosperity for the new year. I wish you prosperity!
1 1lb green lentils - rinsed, picked and drained
3 cups chicken broth/stock
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cup diced carrots
2 bay leaves (dried or fresh)
1 cup red wine
28 oz can chunky crushed tomatoes
3 oz tomato paste
water
salt and pepper to taste
2 1bs Italian sausage (your choice, I used parsely and cheese) cut into coins
Rice cooked according to package (again your choice, I used yellow rice)
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
In a soup pot brown the sausage, remove and set aside
Add olive oil and add in the diced vegetables and the bay leaf, sprinkle salt over the vegetable. Allow them to cook until fragrant and onion is translucent.
Add the wine and allow to reduce by half. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the lentils and stir to coat.
Add in your crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, sausage and any liquid accumulated from the sausage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on medium low for about an hour until the lentils are tender. Keep checking and if the soup begins to get to thick add water as necessary.
Once the lentils are tender, serve over rice and sprinkle Parmesan cheese to taste.
6-8 servings.
**** This can be made totally vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of the chicken and leaving out the sausage.
