Cotechino with lentils and broccoli rabe
12 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Stalks celery; halved crosswise | |
| 1 | large | Carrot; halved crosswise |
| 1 | large | Leek; well rinsed, halved lengthwise, and crosswise |
| 1 | Bay leaf | |
| 1 | Sprig fresh thyme | |
| 6 | cups | Water |
| 3 | cups | Dried lentils; rinsed |
| 1 | teaspoon | Salt |
| 3 | cups | Chicken broth |
| 1½ | pounds | Cotechino; OR |
| 1½ | pounds | Garlic sausage |
| 1 | tablespoon | Fresh parsley; chopped |
| ½ | teaspoon | Ground black pepper |
| 2 | bunches | Broccoli rabe; woody stems removed |
| 1 | tablespoon | Olive oil |
| 1 | Clove garlic; finely chopped | |
| ½ | teaspoon | Crushed red pepper |
Directions
Prepare bouquet garni: Place celery, carrot, leek, bay leaf, and thyme in center of a piece of cheesecloth. Gather ends of cheesecloth and tie together thightly to create a bag.
In 5-quart saucepot, heat water, lentils, and bouquet garni to boiling over high heat. Skim off any foam that comes to surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer lentils until tender--about 35 minutes. Add salt to lentis halfway through cooking time . Drain lentils in strainer, discarding bouquet garni; set lentils aside.
Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling over high heat. With fork, pierce sausage all over. Place sausage in boiling broth.
Reduce heat to low; cover and cook sausage until cooked through--about 40 minutes.
Remove sausage from broth to cutting board; cool until easy to handle.
Remove casing and slice sausage crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Keep cotechino warm.
Strain ½ cup broth into measuring cup; freeze leftover broth for another use. In same saucepan, combine lentis and ½ cup broth. Stir in parsley and ground pepper. Keep warm.
In large skillet, heat 1 inch water to boiling. Add broccoli rabe and blanch 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Heat same skillet over medium heat until hot. Add oil and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add blanched broccoli rabe and red pepper; saute 3 to 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender-crisp.
To serve, line edge of large serving platter with broccoli rabe mixture and spoon lentils into center. Place sausage over lentils and serve.
NOTES : If cotechino sausage is not available in your area, use another garlic-flavored sausage.
Recipe by: Country Living (January 1998) Posted to recipelu-digest by "Nesb2@..." <Nesb2@...> on Mar 24, 1998