Lentils portend good things in the New Year

Italian tradition says lentils are good luck. Sometimes lentils make their first appearance of the year on January 1, at the cenone (big dinner) shared by family and friends in the afternoon. Chef Michele Savoia of the South Side’s Dish Osteria says that anytime you eat lentils, they bring good fortune.

Why lentils? The plump roundness of a single lentil is said to resemble a Roman coin. Because their sheer numbers represent a lot of coin, they bring prosperity. They’re also traditionally served with pork, whose fatty richness is also associated with living “high on the hog,” to borrow a phrase from another tradition!

By happy coincidence, lentils are also good for you. High in both fiber and protein, they offer up substantial amounts of iron, manganese, folate and phosphorous – all essential to healthy human bodies.

Whether you’re motivated by symbolism and tradition, or by their health benefits, put lentil soup on your menu.

Zuppa di Salsiccia e Lenticchie

(Sausage and Lentil Soup)

From Chef Michele Savoia, Dish Osteria

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1 shallot, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 ribs of celery, diced

1 small head of fennel, sliced

Olive oil for cooking

Extra virgin olive oil for finishing

1 bunch of Lacinato Kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

2 quarts of chicken or beef broth

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

Pecorino Pepato, grated

Salt and pepper

1 cup dry black Lentils

3 cups Lentil broth

For cooking lentils:

½ onion

1 bay leaf

1 stem fennel

4 cups water

Rinse lentils and add them to a pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Add ½ onion, bay leaf and fennel stem. Bring to a simmer and cook until al dente, about 15-20 minutes. Add salt to taste after lentils are cooked. Strain lentils and reserve the broth. Discard bay leaf, onion and fennel stem.

In a soup pot, brown the sausage over medium heat and break into small pieces. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.

Add olive oil to pot and turn heat to medium high. Add celery, carrots, fennel, onion, garlic and shallot. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until veggies are translucent and a fond begins to form in the bottom of the pot.

Add kale and saute over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Add cooked sausage back to the pot, stir. Add chicken or beef broth, and lentil broth. Stir together and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add lentils and simmer until soup is hot, being careful not to overcook them. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated Pecorino Pepato and extra virgin olive oil.

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