French Lentils with Sautéed Summer Vegetables & Lamb Sausage

Ingredients:

1 cup French lentils

1 1/2 lb lamb sausage

6 carrots

4 stalks celery

1 onion

1 bunch of cilantro

1 tomato

2 fresh bay leaves

1/4  smoked paprika

1 lemon

1/4 cup fresh crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

Heat a small pot of water to boiling on high. When it boils, add the lentils. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water.

While the lentils cook, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the carrots in half lengthwise. Slice the celery. Cut the long stems off the cilantro. Peel and medium dice the onion. Cut the tomato into large chunks.












In a large pan, heat a little olive oil on medium until hot. Add the sausage, onion, celery, carrots, and bay leaves. Cook 9 to 11 minutes, stirring the vegetables and turning the sausage to ensure it browns on all sides and is cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a cutting board to rest.




Add the tomato and smoked paprika to the pan with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomato softens slightly.

Add the cooked lentils and the juice of half the lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Discard the bay leaves. Slice the sausage in half on an angle. Divide the lentil and vegetable mixture between 2 plates. Top each plate with half the sausage. Garnish with the cilantro and feta cheese. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!

My picture is missing the cilantro and feta cheese...it was on the table for my family to add on themselves...def a must!