Petit Sale Aux Lentilles

Ingredients

• 100ml olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• ⅔ carrot, finely chopped
• ⅔ leek, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 litre water
• herbs (parsley, bay, rosemary and thyme), tied up with string
• 300ml lentilles du Puy
• 500g speck or salt pork
• 500g good sausages
• salt and pepper

Method

Heat a large pot, and add the oil and vegetables. Cook, without colouring, for 5-10 minutes, then add the water and herbs. Add the lentils, and bring to the boil. Cut the speck into biggish chunks, and add it to the pot.

Brown the sausages – I find starting in a cold pan, and cooking gently, is best. Add them, whole or halved, to the lentil mixture, and cook for 30-40 minutes, adding salt and pepper after, say, 20 minutes. The lentils and pork both have to be soft.