July 2, 2009: Ruby Vino Lentils On Polenta

giveaway-winning soup I decided to showtime trialling entries from the peak alongside Elizabeth Bennet's carmine vino lentils. Not alone are they winter-appropriate, but she explained that they're peculiarly plumbing fixtures for the shift from June to July: "Italians consume lentils as well as sausages (or cotechino) on New Year's Eve to convey luck as well as coin inwards the coming year. Since it's nearing the terminate of the Financial Year, why non movement it to ensure riches come upwardly revenue enhancement refund time?"

Liz didn't instruct out a exactly measured recipe hence I'm non certain how unopen this rendition is to hers. I couldn't rails downward fresh sage as well as crushed upwardly approximately dry out leaves instead, as well as this seemed to move out fine. Though I recollect Liz meant for us to plonk several sausages on peak of the lentils, nosotros were downward to our concluding 2 home-made sausages inwards the freezer hence I chopped them upwardly as well as stirred them into the saucy lentils. And every bit for the sauce itself, it was lovely though I'd live on tempted to cut back the book of stock side yesteryear side time. Regardless, it soaks gorgeously into the cheesy polenta.

Red vino lentils on polenta
(based on directions from Elizabeth Bennet)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 carrot
2-3 sticks of celery
2 x 400g cans lentils, rinsed as well as drained
3/4 loving cup carmine wine
1 1/2 cups 'beef' stock (I'll purpose less side yesteryear side time)
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
2 large vege sausages
1L water
1 loving cup polenta
3/4 loving cup parmesan, grated

Bring the fossil oil to medium oestrus inwards a frypan, as well as hence saute the onion as well as garlic inwards it for 2 minutes. Add the carrot as well as celery as well as saute for a farther five minutes. Stir through the lentils, wine, stock as well as herbs as well as simmer the lot until the lentils are tender as well as the sauce has reduced a little.

Pop the sausages nether the grill, turning them in ane lawsuit or twice, until they're crisp on the exterior but nonetheless tender inwards the middle. Slice them into generous chunks as well as add together them to the simmering lentils.

Bring the litre of H2O to the boil inwards a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk inwards the polenta, ensuring at that topographic point are no lumps. Reduce the oestrus as well as kicking the bucket on whisking the polenta for 10 minutes. Remove the polenta from the heat, stir through the parmesan as well as permit the polenta to correspond five minutes.

Season the lentils as well as polenta to taste. Scoop polenta mounds onto plates as well as peak them alongside the carmine vino lentils, garnishing alongside a few extra parsley leaves.