by annie or annabella

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups French lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
3 - 4 sausages
3 cups diced onions
3 cups chopped leeks
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
3 or 4 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon salt
i 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tablespoon thyme
3/4 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 tablespoon cumin
10 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
three tablespoons red wine vinegar
parmesan cheese
chopped parsely

Preparation:
Place lentils in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Heat olive oil in dutch oven or soup pot and saute onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, cumin and curry powder for 20 minutes until onions are tender. Add carrots and celery and saute for additional 10 minutes. Add the drained beans, tomato paste and stock, cover, bring to a boil, then uncover and let simmer for one hour until lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, cook sausage in frying pan for a few minutes on each side, until cooked through. Remove sausuges to a plate and deglaze the pan with two tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Reduce for a minute or so, then add salt and pepper. Set aside.

When lentils are tender, add reduced red wine vinegar and one tablespoon fresh red wine vinegar. Slice sausages diagonally and add to soup. Stir in parsley. Ladle in soup bowls, garnish with parmesan.

Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten.