Korean Sausage, Lentil and Kale Stew

It’s only mid December, but we have already been to the ski hill 11 times! Needless to say, I’ve been flying through my soup stock. It also seems like we’ve been eating the same soups in rotation for awhile, so I was looking to add something a little bit different to our mix. This soup did not disappoint. It’s very unlike any of my usual tomato based soups. This one is full of umami deliciousness. Kimchi, sesame oil and chilies create a spicy, bitter, sour, and slightly sweet combination. It sounds weird, but I literally couldn’t stop “tasting it”. I’m also a fan of the hearty texture of lentils. They kind of force you to slow down, chew and contemplate what you are eating. This is also one of the easiest soups I’ve made. I had it simmering on the stove in less than 15min!

Korean Sausage, Lentil and Kale Stew – makes 1.5L, or serves 2

Time: 1 hour

• 4 Korean sausages, casings removed
• 1 cup of green lentils, rinsed
• 5-7 shiitake mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken paste
• 1-2 Tablespoon Spicy Chili Miso oil
• 1 bunch of kale, washed, stems removed and torn into small pieces

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat brown sausages, breaking them down as you stir. Once browned, add lentils, mushrooms and tomato sauce. Cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add water, scraping all the sticky bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30-45 minutes, checking lentils for doneness every so often. (Time will very based on heat temperature. I turned mine down to low and had a shower, so it was more like an hour). When lentils soften (be sure to not over cook them to the point of them falling apart, you want them with a slight bit of chew) turn heat back up to high and add kale. Stir for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy.