Lentil Soup With Italian Sausage Copycat Cucina Cucina Recipes

Steps:

• Simmer lentils, water, broth, bay leaf, and half of garlic in a 4-quart pot, uncovered, 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide heavy 5- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown sausage, about 7 minutes. Transfer sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook onion, carrots, celery, remaining garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add sausage and lentils with cooking liquid and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in escarole and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar to taste and season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.

Steps:

• Brown bulk, chicken Italian sausage in olive oil and butter in soup pot. Stirring to encourage the meat to be as fine as possible. When brown, remove sausage with slotted spoon, set aside. Reserving juices in the soup pot.
• To the juices in the soup pot, add diced carrots, onions, celery and leeks. Cook over medium high heat until tender, adding more butter if needed.
• Add lentils and broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally to prevent lentils from sticking. When this comes to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes.
• When lentils are tender, add sausage back to vegetables in the pot. Add cream, mustard, vinegar and spinach.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Return soup to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.