Lentils and Kielbasa Sausage

Lentils are very popular in Brazil. It is a very typical dish for the new year (reveillon). According to my mom eating lentils will bring us prosperity and money. I am not sure how much of that is true but life has treated me well. I am a big fan of lentils and I could eat them everyday. For recipes with lots of chopping, I do mise en place, meaning, everything in its place and ready to go in the pot, before I turn on the heat.

I actually do not remember exactly how my mom made her lentils. I believe that instead of sausage she used bacon or Calabresa sausage. You can make this a soup by adding more liquid, but in Brazil we just eat lentils as we eat beans, combined with rice.

1 small onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 Kielbasa sausage cut into small cubes

2 cups lentils

6 cups of water or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

1 tomato peeled, seeds removed, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

I chop up all the ingredients and when everything is ready to go in the pot, I turn on the heat and using a Dutch Oven, I add the olive oil and when it is warm I add the sausage stirring until a little crisp. Then I added the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Then I add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then I add the remaining vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. I then add the liquid, the lentils and bay leaves, salt and pepper. Once it start boiling, I turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, then I add the tomato and cook for ten more minutes or until the lentils are cooked. I prefer to not cook it too much so they are still a little firm.

I serve this dish with white rice.