Spicy Sausage Lentil Soup

Onion, celery and sausage are sautéed in hot oil. Browned sausage is combined with soup stock, water, green lentils, orange rind, dried marjoram and dried savory. As soup simmers, carrots and potatoes are stirred in. After slow cooking soup is seasoned with salt and pepper and served hot.

Ingredients -

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 White or Yellow Onion, chopped
4 celery Stalks, sliced
6 ounces Smoked Sausage (such as kielbasa), coarsely chopped
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
4 cups Water
2 cups Green Lentils
1 (3 inches long) strip Orange Rind
1 teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1 teaspoon Dried Savory
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Baking Potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Add oil to stockpot and heat over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion 5 minutes in hot oil.

2. Stir in sliced celery and chopped sausage. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

3. Add stock, water, green lentils, orange rind, dried marjoram and dried savory. Bring to a gentle boil.

4. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer for 30 minutes.

5. Stir in sliced carrots and diced potatoes.

6. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.

7. Remove orange rind and discard.

8. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Lentil Soup Tip

Lentils

Lentils are rich in vegetable protein and fiber. They can help in reducing cholesterol and high blood sugar levels. Lentils can be cooked quickly compared to most other dried beans, absorb other flavors well and digest easily.

Lentil Soup Tip

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard or chard is a member of the beet family can be found with other specialty greens such as mustard greens, kale, and collard greens in many supermarkets and farmers markets. The leaves and stems are both used in the recipes.

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