Recipe - Cotechino With Lentils And Broccoli Rabe

3 Stalks celery; halved
crosswise
1 lg Carrot; halved crosswise
1 lg Leek; well rinsed, halved
lengthwise, and crosswise
1 Bay leaf
1 Sprig fresh thyme
6 cup Water
3 cup Dried lentils; rinsed
1 teaspoon Salt
3 cup Chicken broth
1 One half pound Cotechino; OR
1 One half pound Garlic sausage
1 tablespoon Fresh parsley; chopped
One half teaspoon Ground black pepper
2 bn Broccoli rabe; woody stems
removed
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 Clove garlic; finely chopped
One half teaspoon Crushed red pepper

Prepare bouquet garni: Place celery, carrot, leek, bay leaf, and thyme in
center of a piece of cheesecloth. Gather ends of cheesecloth and tie
together thightly to create a bag.

In 5quart saucepot, heat water, lentils, and bouquet garni to boiling over
high heat. Skim off any foam that comes to surface. Reduce heat to low and
simmer lentils until tenderabout 35 minutes. Add salt to lentis halfway
through cooking time . Drain lentils in strainer, discarding bouquet garni;
set lentils aside.

Meanwhile, in 4quart saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling over high
heat. With fork, pierce sausage all over. Place sausage in boiling broth.
Reduce heat to low; cover and cook sausage until cooked throughabout 40
minutes.

Remove sausage from broth to cutting board; cool until easy to handle.
Remove casing and slice sausage crosswise into 1/4inchthick slices. Keep
cotechino warm.

Strain One half cup broth into measuring cup; freeze leftover broth for another
use. In same saucepan, combine lentis and One half cup broth. Stir in parsley
and ground pepper. Keep warm.

In large skillet, heat 1 inch water to boiling. Add broccoli rabe and
blanch 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Heat same skillet over medium heat
until hot. Add oil and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add blanched broccoli rabe
and red pepper; saute 3 to 5 minutes or until broccoli is tendercrisp.

To serve, line edge of large serving platter with broccoli rabe mixture and
spoon lentils into center. Place sausage over lentils and serve.

NOTES : If cotechino sausage is not available in your area, use another
garlicflavored sausage.

Recipe by: Country Living (January 1998)

Posted to recipeludigest by "Nesb2@aol.com" Nesb2@aol.com on Mar 24,
1998