Sausage, Lentil & Chickpea Stew by Amber Guinness
A deeply comforting one-pot stew from Winter in Tuscany by Amber Guinness, where rich sausage, earthy lentils and chickpeas simmer with red wine, rosemary and tomatoes. Of the dish, Amber says:
“Lentils are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve in Italy for prosperity and luck. They’re usually paired with cotechino, but this quicker version uses chickpeas and tinned tomatoes. Use the best sausages you can find, and if you’re short on time, swap dried lentils for tinned — just reduce the cooking time.”
Finished with parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, it’s comfort food at its best — a winter staple for busy evenings and slow Sundays alike.
Sausage, Lentil & Chickpea Stew
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 60 minutes
Ingredients
6 large organic pork sausages
Olive oil
1 onion (any kind), finely diced
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, grated
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
A few rosemary sprigs, leaves finely chopped
1 glass red wine
1 tsp tomato concentrate
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
200ml water or stock
1 × 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes
200g small black or green dried lentils
2 × 400g tins giant chickpeas
To serve:
Finely chopped parsley, grated parmesan, olive oil
Method
Remove the skins from the sausages. In a heavy-based frying pan, heat a few glugs of olive oil until sizzling.
Add the sausages, breaking each up into four large chunks with the end of a wooden spoon, and brown over a medium–high heat for 3–5 minutes, until they have a little colour – don’t worry if they break into smaller pieces. If they release lots of liquid, wait for this to evaporate and then brown.
Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside. Turn down the heat and add the onion to the pan, along with a pinch of salt; there should be plenty of fat in the pan from the sausages.
Leave to cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, carrot, celery and rosemary and leave to gently cook for 5 minutes. If the sausage fat starts catching or browning the veg too much, stir in a splash of the wine to deglaze the pan and stop them burning.
Add the sausages back to the pan with the wine, tomato concentrate and chilli flakes, if using. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, then leave the alcohol to evaporate for 5 minutes.
Stir in the water or stock, along with the tinned tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato tin with water, swirl it around and pour the tomatoey water into the pan, adding a generous pinch of salt. Break up the tomatoes with the end of a wooden spoon.
Stir in the lentils and leave to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Open the tins of chickpeas and empty the contents into the stew. Stir together, then leave to gently bubble over a low heat, uncovered, for another 20–25 minutes. If the pan looks like it is drying out, stir in a splash more wine or water.
The stew is ready when it is thick and rich and the lentils are completely cooked.
Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Serve piping hot, with a sprinkling of parsley, a grating of parmesan and a drizzle more olive oil.
Winter In Tuscany by Amber Guinness
Winter in Tuscany captures the cosy, restorative flavours of the Tuscan off-season. Amber Guinness blends stories, culture and hearty recipes in a book that celebrates slow cooking, slower living and the joy of a well-seasoned pot. (£29.99)