Ingredients
| 1/2 tbsp | (7.5 ml) | butter |
| 1 1/2 cups | (375 ml) | onions, finely chopped |
| 1 1/2 cups | (375 ml) | celery, finely chopped |
| 2 cups | (500 ml) | carrots, finely chopped |
| 1 tbsp | (15 ml) | garlic, minced |
| 2 | bay leaves | |
| 1 tbsp | (15 ml) | fresh ginger, minced |
| 2 cups | (500 ml) | red lentils |
| 1 tbsp | (15 ml) | soy sauce |
| 1 tbsp | (15 ml) | prepared yellow mustard |
| 4 cups | (1 L) | low sodium chicken broth (ready to use) |
| 2 tsp | (10 ml) | cornstarch |
| 1 1/2 - 2 cups | (375 - 500 ml) | milk |
Garnish
| 1 lb | (454 g) | spicy Italian sausage** |
| 2 tsp | (10 ml) | fennel seeds, toasted |
| 2 tbsp | (25 ml) | fresh parsley, chopped |
Directions
- Over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the onions, celery and carrots for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, bay leaves, ginger and sauté for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add lentils, soy sauce, mustard, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until lentils are tender. Do not overcook.
- In a separate bowl mix cornstarch with1 ½ cups (375 mL) cold milk. Slowly add to the soup, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes until soup has thickened slightly. To adjust soup consistency, add remaining milk as required. Remove from heat and keep hot.
- Garnish:If you are not a sausage lover, you may want to use just a small bit to garnish the soup add flavour. The soup is delicious with or without the sausage.
- In a fry pan over medium heat, sauté the sausage meat until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat on paper towel and set aside. Wipe fat from pan with paper towel. Place fennel seeds in the pan and sauté dry over medium heat – watch closely – for about 1 minute until fragrant. Mix fennel seeds with the sausage and add half of the mixture to the soup. Stir well.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and remaining sausage mixture.
- **If you are unable to locate sausage meat, purchase sausage links. Remove the casings and cook meat as described above.