Cottechino & Lentils
02-Feb-2006
Ever since I tried Cottechino a few years ago it has become one of my favorite winter treats. I can remember the experience so clearly. It was raining and I was happy to see the line at Salumi was inside, not extending outside as it often does. The people inside were all pressing in and making room for every newcomer, cognizant of the rain outside. (Once you’ve seen their "entry" you’ll understand how tricky this is!) It was warm and a bit humid as the number of bodies and wet coats contributed to the steaminess of the situation.
Cottechino was listed as one of the specialties of the day and when it came my turn to order I asked about it. The description sounded interesting and I could tell that the guy who described it really loved the stuff. Okay, I’ll give it a try. What a great decision! This is a winter sausage, high in fat, flavored with black pepper, vanilla and nutmeg. It is extremely fragrant and both the smell and the taste warm your soul.
Since trying it that first time, I often purchase one of these lovely sausages to cook at home. A simple and rather traditional way to make it is with lentils. Last night I decided to cook it mostly in the oven, as opposed to the cooktop as I normally do. This worked really well. Again, I was working with ingredients I had on hand – I have been too lazy to go out in the pouring rain lately – so this is an extremely simple recipe. It’s nice to add a few more vegetables, like carrots and celery to the mix, but this version was still very good.
Cottechino & Lentils
1 Cottechino sausage (about 1 – 1 1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 cup lentils (any type will do, I used Du Puy or French Green last night)
1 2/3 cup chicken stock
2 or 3 Bay leaves
Oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the oil over medium heat until fairly warm. If desired, slightly brown the Cottechino, being very careful not to tear the thin skin. Add the onions and cook until translucent. (This would also be the time to add other veggies.) Add the lentils, Bay leaves and stock. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.
Place covered pan in oven and bake until lentils are tender, checking occasionally to ensure there is still enough stock. This will vary depending on the type of lentil. Last night I checked the pot at 20 minutes and again at 30. The lentils were done at 40 minutes and the amount of stock was exactly right.
2 Comments
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Culinary Fool 
I think I have to stop visting your blog until I\’m done with the diet shake routine. This looks delicous!
See ya in 26 week. :-)
:-) Silly!