My boyfriend likes Carrabba's restaurants, and always, always, always, orders the spicy lentil-sausage soup. Thinking that 1) lentil soup is an easy recipe, and 2) anything that good shouldn't have to wait for restaurant night, I looked up knock-off recipes online.
Here is the recipe I started with, submitted to RecipeZaar by somebody nicknamed Grannydragon.
For the record: Yes, I followed the recipe (except I left out the salt. If you have ham, sausage, and chicken broth, you almost assuredly do not need extra salt).
It was good, but still extremely salty and oilier than I like. I don't like oily food Next time I make it, I'll do it like this:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/3 pound hot Italian sausage, bulk or cut from casings
1/4 cup ham, diced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
4 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound lentils, rinsed and picked over (this is 1/2 a 16-ounce bag)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
In a large, heavy, pot, brown the sausage and drain off most of the extra fat. Break it into small pieces as it cooks.
Using a small amount of residual fat or olive oil, sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic, stirring regularly, for about 8 minutes. Add the ham and stir for another minute.
Heat the water and broth (to avoid a steam-up) and add them. Add the bay leaf. Add everything else except the rest of the spices, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes.
Add the rest of the spices and cook for another 20 minutes.
I think this would be good with some spinach torn up in it, and maybe with some cubed potato. Otherwise, serve it with bread. I had a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix on hand, which I rarely use because I don't like sweet cornbread, but it was a good contrast to the spicy soup.
Here is the recipe I started with, submitted to RecipeZaar by somebody nicknamed Grannydragon.
For the record: Yes, I followed the recipe (except I left out the salt. If you have ham, sausage, and chicken broth, you almost assuredly do not need extra salt).
It was good, but still extremely salty and oilier than I like. I don't like oily food Next time I make it, I'll do it like this:
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/3 pound hot Italian sausage, bulk or cut from casings
1/4 cup ham, diced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
4 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound lentils, rinsed and picked over (this is 1/2 a 16-ounce bag)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
In a large, heavy, pot, brown the sausage and drain off most of the extra fat. Break it into small pieces as it cooks.
Using a small amount of residual fat or olive oil, sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic, stirring regularly, for about 8 minutes. Add the ham and stir for another minute.
Heat the water and broth (to avoid a steam-up) and add them. Add the bay leaf. Add everything else except the rest of the spices, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes.
Add the rest of the spices and cook for another 20 minutes.
I think this would be good with some spinach torn up in it, and maybe with some cubed potato. Otherwise, serve it with bread. I had a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix on hand, which I rarely use because I don't like sweet cornbread, but it was a good contrast to the spicy soup.
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