A Recipe: Lentil Soup with Sausage and Split Pea

Plus an Almond Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

After being away from home, the only thing that feels right is to have something bubbling away on the stove and/or baking in the oven. Once Tycho went down for his nap I got right to work—I never know when it will be unexpectedly short, and front loading tasks to avoid being interrupted is the strategy. And then I get to relax for the remainder, while knowing that I accomplished something. The pay off is worth it. Just as often, I’m too tired or desperately need a shower, and come away feeling like I got nothing done. Can you tell I’m an elder millennial? Always planning how best to use my time and feel guilty if I “waste” it.

Having bought my first Bundt pan during the Home Goods shopping spree mentioned in my last letter, the first thing I did was get Claire Saffitz’s Almond Poppy Seed cake, from Dessert Person, in the oven. I’ve always wanted to make it, so of course it would inaugurate my Bundt pan journey. It’s incredibly easy—once the dry ingredients are combined you just add the wet into the same bowl one by one and then mix the mess altogether with a hand mixer. I found myself wondering why all cakes can’t be mixed this way. Despite the ease, the result was not perfect because my oven runs hot, and I forgot to check the internal temperature and it had been left too long about 25 degrees too high. Oh well. After unmolding the cake I decide to flip it back over and showcase the rough side, with its beautiful split, instead of the ornate Bundt side. I guess I’m not a bundt person. Only later, when posting a pic to instagram, did I realize that it looked exactly like a giant sour cream donut from Peter Pan, and that probably explained my preference. The cake, despite being over-baked was perfect internally. I’m happy with it.

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All morning I had a mind to make lentil soup, so while the Bundt was over-baking away I got that started. Having only had 3/4 c of lentils I decided to add some split peas. Add to that one pound of sweet Italian sausage, and this becomes a very hearty soup. I used store-bought broth, which I normally avoid because I’m sensitive to salt, so I seasoned slightly less as I added ingredients.

If you like, you could add a sprig of woody herbs like thyme or rosemary, and garnish it with something (I’m bad at coming up with gardnishes)—but I like it as is. This could easily be made vegetarian by omitting the sausage and using water or vegetable stock. In fact I’m tempted to make that version early next week to see if I can get away with not using stock at all. I love the texture and color that the split peas add to the soup, since they break down more quickly than the lentils.

xo AV

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Lentil Soup with Sausage and Split Pea

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 lg onion, chopped

A few garlic cloves, sliced

1 c lentils and split peas, rinsed (you want majority lentils here)

1 quart stock, plus more water if needed

1. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the sausage, breaking it up into pieces as you add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to brown, breaking it up further with a wooden spoon, stirring periodically, until the meat is the color you want. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked through at this stage.

2. Using a slotted spoon remove the sausage and set it aside. If you feel like there’s too much fat left behind, remove some (I didn’t). Add the onion and garlic, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté until softened and golden.

3. Add lentils and a bay leaf to the pot, stirring a few times to incorporate. add the broth and Bring to a boil. lower the heat and Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Add the sausage back to the pot, tossing out the fat remaining at the bottom of the bowl. Add a cup of water if more liquid is needed, and bring it back to a simmer.

5. After another 15-20 minutes, check seasoning, and taste the lentils to make sure they’re done (softened with a tiny bit of bite, not mushy). Remove from the heat.

6. Serve in bowls, with lots of cracked black pepper, and buttered toast on the side.