Villa Sentieri

Cotechino with Lentils

The lentils make a wonderful dish on their own without the cotechino. The lentils are better if made a day or two in advance and refrigerated. For added flavor, let most of the broth evaporate during the first 30 minutes then add enough of the cotechino cooking water, skimmed of fat, to make the lentils loose but not soupy. If the broth has salt, it may be necessary to reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe. Save the fennel fronds to garnish the cotechino, if desired.

CourseAppetizers and Nibbles, Mains, Meats
CuisineItalian

Servings	Prep Time
12people as an appetizer	20minutes

Cook Time

3 1/2hours

Servings	Prep Time
12people as an appetizer	20minutes

Cook Time

3 1/2hours

Ingredients

For the Lentils

1pound green lentils
1/4cup extra virgin olive oil
2 carrotsfinely diced or chopped in a food processor
1 large fennel bulbdiced
1 onionfinely diced
2cloves garlicminced
8-9cups chicken or vegetable brothpreferably unsalted
1 bay leaf
2 1/2teaspoons saltplus more to taste
1teaspoon black pepperfreshly ground, plus more to taste

For the Cotechino

2 cotechino sausagesapproximately 2 1/2 pounds total
water to cover
fennel frondsminced for garnish, if desired

Instructions

For the Lentils

Cut off the stalks of the fennel before dicing.
Reserve the fennel fronds for garnishing.
Sauté the carrot, onion, fennel, and garlic in the olive oil in heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until the vegetables begin to soften, approximately 15 minutes.
Add the broth and bay leaf. Boil gently, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse and drain the lentils.
Add the lentils to the broth. Bring the lentils to a gentle boil, partially covered, and cook approximately 30 minutes, adding salt and pepper after the first 15 minutes.
If making the lentils in advance, remove them from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, bring the lentils to a gentle boil with enough of the cotechino cooking liquid, or water, to loosen them but not make them soupy. Cook until tender but not mushy, approximately 10-15 minutes longer.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For the Cotechino

Prick the sausages in several places using a pin. If the holes are large the casing may split during cooking.
Put the cotechino in a large pot, cover with cold water, simmer, covered, approximately 2 ½ hours.
Mince the fennel fronds while the cotechino cooks.
The cotechino is best served piping hot as soon as is it removed from the cooking liquid.
Slice the cotechino.
Plate several slices of cotechino on top of some of the lentils and garnish with minced fennel fronds, if desired.

Recipe Notes