French style Sausage and Puy Lentil Casserole

I adapted this classic French style dish from a recipe in Good Food magazine, September 2010.

Three cooking ingredients I always bring home from our holidays at White Shutters are lots of the cheapest wine for cooking (red and white), chorizo sausage (Intermarché in Aulnay do a fantastic budget one for €1) and big fat garlic bulbs.

Recipe (serves 4)

1 tblspn Olive oil and extra for roasting veg if using

8 good quality pork sausages (or Toulouse!)

1 red onion sliced

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 red pepper sliced

50g chorizo finely diced

250g Puy (green) lentils

300ml veg stock

250ml red wine (cheaper the better!)

Optional Courgettes and aubergines (or similar veg) for roasting

Le Creuset or similar heavy hob to oven pot (provided at White Shutters!)

Serves 4

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees (160 fan)

1 Brown the sausages in half the oil in the Le Creuset on the hob, put to one side (1 pan meal, less washing up!)

2 Add the rest of the oil with the onion, garlic, chorizo and pepper to the pan and sauté for 5 mins

3 Add sausages (chopped if desired), lentils stock and wine and bring to simmering point, stir, cover tightly and put in oven for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Do not add salt at this stage as this stops pulses cooking properly.

4 Chop veggies for oven roasting (if using), toss in a little olive oil and roast on a pre heated sheet for about 30 minutes.

4 The lentils should be soft (not crunchy) when cooked, but this isn't a saucy dish either.

5 if cooked on the hob (very low heat) it will take 30-45 minutes but keep an eagle eye on the pan and add a little more water if necessary. I prefer oven so you can go off and have a sneaky aperitif, or another dip in the heated pool before dinner!

6 Add the roasted veg to the pan, adjust seasoning and stir through and serve. Don't forget a baguette for mopping.

Verdict

I loved it, definitely a "rustique" style dish as the picture shows. The family still prefer sausage and chips, Toad in the Hole or sausage and cauliflower cheese....ungrateful lot, but give it a go. At least they can eat the sausages leaving a beautifully smoky lentil concoction for my lunch the next day.

Bon appetit!