Basque-Style Lentils & Sausages

This is a really nice way to serve sausages, is filling and is certainly cost effective. Use really good quality ones though, not growlers! There are two versions of this recipe, I've done the first one once and the quick version a few times. Very tasty..

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots, finely chopped

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp fennel seeds, chopped

pinch of chilli flakes

salt and ground black pepper to taste

400g chopped tomatoes

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup raw le puy lentils

6 good quality pork sausages

2 tsp red wine vinegar to drizzle

chopped parsley to garnish

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Long version...

Preheat oven to 150 fanbake. Heat oil in a stovetop casserole dish. Add onions, garlic and carrots and cook until softened.

Add tomato paste, smoked paprika, fennel seeds chilli flakes, salt and pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes, stock, lentils and whole sausages, bring to a boil then cover and bake for 1.5 hours.

Serve hot, drizzled with sherry or red wine vinegar and garnished with parsley.

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Quick version...

Put a non stick frying pan on the stove top, add olive oil and heat. Add onions, garlic and carrots and cook until the onions are starting to caramelise. Move them to one side and add the sausages, whole to start with, and brown.

Add tomato paste, smoked paprika, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 mins, stirring. If the sausages are big fat ones, cut them in half on a diagonal. If they're small or thin ones, leave them whole.

Add tomatoes, stock (only about a cup), 1-2 cans of drained lentils, and a fresh bay leaf if you have one to hand and simmer for about 15 mins until the sauce is thickened, the sausages are cooked through and the flavours have developed. Adjust the seasoning (i always add more salt and pepper at this point).

Serve as above, but I always stir some parsley through it as well as on top.

This really is good either with rice or couscous.