lentils, sun dried tomatoes, sausage

Recipe: Lentils With Merguez


Published: February 20, 2008

Time: 1 1/2 hours

8 sun-dried tomatoes, not in oil

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound merguez sausage, in 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika

2 cups French Le Puy lentils

4 1/2 cups vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup panko

2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves

Harissa for serving, optional.

1. Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside. Heat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Heat oil in a 4-quart casserole, add merguez and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove merguez and its fat to a bowl, leaving just a slick of fat in the pan. Add onion, carrot and garlic to pan and sauté until soft. Stir in cumin and 1 teaspoon paprika. Add lentils. Add merguez, leaving fat in bowl. Drain sun-dried tomatoes, sliver and add. Stir in stock. Place in oven and bake, uncovered, about 1 hour, until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

3. While lentils bake, toss panko with reserved fat in bowl. Stir in remaining paprika and fold in parsley. When lentils are done, increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Spread panko mixture over lentils, bake 10 minutes, then serve, with harissa on the side if you like.

Yield: 6 servings.