Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup

Here it is, as promised, the recipe that hubby gave 8 out of 10! God, I hope it’s not a big anti-climax.

This recipe was inspired by a meal that we had while on our Honeymoon in Rome. We ate at a wine bar called Trimani, and I definitely recommend the place. I’m also a big fan of Italian sausage, at least in the sense that I always ordered sausage and mushroom when the occasion called for pizza back home. I wanted to learn what it was that gave it its unique flavor. Turns out it’s anis seed! I got some help from Emeril Lagasse, actually, as I snuck a peek at his recipe for Mild Italian Sausage and adapted accordingly.

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Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup

6 oz dry lentils (2 dl linser)
1 lb ground pork (400 g fläskfärs)
1 egg (1 ägg)
½ cup milk (1 dl mellanmjölk)
1 ½ t paprika (1 ½ tsk paprikapulver)
1 t anis or fennel seed, crushed (1 tsk anis- eller fänkålsfrön, krossade)
1 t salt (1 tsk salt)
1 t black pepper (1 tsk svartpeppar)
1 t cayenne pepper (1 tsk cayennepeppar)
1 t garlic powder (1 tsk vitlökspulver)
½ t tarragon (½ tsk dragon)
1 T fresh parsley (1 msk färsk persilja)
1 ½ T butter (25 g smör)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped (1 gul lök, finhackad)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (2 vitlöksklyftor, finhackade)
2 T flour (2 msk vetemjöl)
4 cups broth (1 l buljong)

Soak the lentils in cold water for 2-3 hours. Boil them in fresh water for about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Mix the meat, egg, milk and all the spices; set aside.

Cook the onions and garlic in butter until the onions are soft and clear. Add the flour so that it coats the onions and garlic. Add broth and bring to a boil. While the liquid is simmering, drop the meat in small spoonfuls into the water. (You can roll it into little meatballs if you have the patience; I didn’t.) Finally, add the lentils and cook until everything is warm.

Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 479 (with 20% fat pork and 2% milk)
Fat: 28 g
Protein: 29 g
Carbohydrates: 27 g

Comments: 53% of the Calories in this recipe come from fat, and since the fat is from ground pork and butter, it’s probably a lot of saturated fat. So this isn’t the kind of thing you want to eat every day if you’re super picky about taking care of your heart. However, it’s low calorie, contains a good helping of legumes, which most people don’t get enough of, and it tastes good!