One Pot Lentils, Kale, and Chicken Sausage

Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over a medium high flame. Add sausage and brown on all sides. Remove sausage to a plate and set aside.

While sausage is browning, rinse lentils. Chop onion, peel and dice carrot, cut celery into small dice. Reduce heat in the large pot to medium. Add onion, celery and carrot to the remaining oil and sausage drippings. Saute for about 5 minutes until softened.

Mince garlic, add to the pot with the rest of the vegetables. Stir in fennel seeds, thyme and bay leaf along with some salt and pepper. Add the lentils and the water or chicken stock. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to medium heat.

Add the kale to the pot, gently stirring, then nestle the sausages back in with the lentils and greens. Put the lid on the pot and continue to simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary with additional salt and pepper.

Arrange greens and lentils on individual plates and top with the sausages. Drizzle aged balsamic around plate.

cook's notes

If you do not have aged balsamic, use regular. Take 1 cup of balsamic and bring it to a boil in a small pot. Reduce the liquid by half until it has a syrupy consistency.