Tools

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Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot with lid

chopping knife

garlic press

wooden spoon for stirring

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Ingredients

olive oil

6 sausages (I like pork and apple sausages, but pork and leek, or pork and sage would also be good)

butter

2 leeks

3 cloves of garlic

fresh sage

fresh thyme

flour

Cornish Orchard cider (or another dry cider)

chicken stock

black pepper

brown or green lentils

1 package of fresh kale

sherry vinegar (or cider vinegar)

1 jar of butter beans (570g, boldbeanco or whatever brand you can find)

creme fraiche

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Prepare

1. Slice the sausages down the middle and then remove the meat from the casing.

2. Rinse 2 leeks with water to remove any grit or dirt from between the layers. Remove tough outer laters, then slice into rounds about ½ cm thick.

3. Crush, grate, or finely chop 3 cloves of garlic.

4. Chop 5-6 fresh sage leaves.

5. Remove the leaves from 2 springs of fresh thyme. Chop roughly.

6. Rinse and wash package of kale.

7. Rinse 200 g of lentils and pick over to remove any stones

   Cook

8. Place a dutch oven on a medium heat and add enough olive oil to just cover the base of the pot.

9. Once the pot is hot, add the sausage meat to the pot and leave to caramelize 4-5 minutes until golden. Turn the sausages and continue browning another 4-5 minutes. When sausage is evenly browned, remove from the pot and place on a plate. Remove excess oil with a paper towel if you like.

10. Reduce the heat to medium low and add a knob of butter to the pot.

11. Add the sliced leeks and a sprinkle of salt to the pot and stir, 3-4 minutes until the leeks have softened.

12. Add the garlic, sage and thyme. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

13. Stir in 1 tbsp of flour and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring continuously.

14. Pour in 2 cups of cider. Stir and scrape the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.

15. Add 1.3 litres of chicken stock to the pot.

16. Add ¼ tsp of black pepper.

17. Cover the pot with the lid. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.

18. When the liquid is simmering, add 200g lentils, all of the kale, and cooked sausage meat to the pot. Return the lid, reduce the heat to medium low, and let simmer gently 20-25 minutes until the lentils are cooked through. (They will be soft, but still hold their shape.)

19. Once the lentils are cooked, add in the butter beans, liquid and all, followed by 2 tbsp sherry vinegar and a bit more pepper. When it starts to simmer again, the soup is ready.

20. Serve with creme fraiche and more black pepper, as you like it.

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