Umbrian Lentil and Homemade Sausage Stew Recipe
Chef Antonio Carluccio’s Umbrian lentil and homemade sausage stew is comfort on a bowl. Make your own sausages using minced pork and add them to the Umbrian Lentil Stew for a delicious rustic meal.
Serves 4
2 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed
50g sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
250g castelluccio lentils
450ml chicken stock
2 celery stalks, with leaves, chopped
Sausages
500g minced pork
50ml strong red wine
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 mild chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped rosemary
Method:
For the lentils, fry garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in 6 tbsp of the olive oil for a few minutes in a large frying pan. When garlic starts to turn pale golden, add lentils, stock and celery, and cook for 30 minutes or until lentils are soft. Cover and keep warm over a low heat.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix sausage ingredients together well and season with salt and pepper. Take a handful of mince and roll it into a sausage shape, 8cm long and 3cm in diameter. Wrap tightly in a piece of foil, closing by turning the ends as you would a sweet.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Poach sausages in the boiling water until they pop up to the surface, about 2-3 minutes. Leave to cool a little, then take off the foil. This poaching should ensure that the sausages hold together.
Moisten sausages with the remaining olive oil, then fry or grill (or roast) until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Add the sausages to the warm lentils, and allow to cook gently together for 5 minutes. Eat with bread or, if you like, a few boiled potatoes.
