Soups:

Smoked Sausage and Lentil Gumbo

Comment on this recipe

"Traditional gumbo color and consistency come from toasting flour in oil."

Ingredients

3/4 pound smoked sausage (andouille or Polish), sliced 1/4 inch thick
About 1/3 cup salad oil
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 ribs celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 medium-size onions, diced
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 quarts regular-strength chicken broth
1-3/4 cups (3/4 pound) lentils
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

In a 5- to 6- quart pan, over medium heat, cook sausage, stirring until brown. Spoon from pan and reserve. Add oil to drippings in pan to make 1/3 cup fat. Add flour, stir until mixture is red-brown, about 10 minutes.

Add celery, garlic, onion and carrots; cook, stirring until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add reserved sausage, chicken broth, lentils, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and cayenne.

Bring to boiling over high heat; reduce to simmer, cover and cook until lentils are soft when pressed, about 40 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Dorothy Barnett
Rock Island