Cotechino con Lenticchie ~ Lentils with Cotechino Sausage
Cotechino con Lenticchie, a hearty, slow-boiled seasoned sausage served over a flavorful bed of lentils, hails from the Emilian-Romagna region of Italy. This beloved dish is steeped in tradition, as it’s thought to bring prosperity and good fortune in the New Year. Alongside the meal, Italians have a custom of wearing red underwear or undergarments, believed to invite love, luck, and fertility. What better way to complement this honored ritual than with a steaming plate of Cotechino and lentils. Whether savored on New Year’s Eve or Day, this delicious pairing is said to ensure a year full of luck and abundance.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Puncture the cotechino so the skin won't split when it cooks. Place the cotechino and lentils in a large bowl and cover with water and leave everything to soak overnight.
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Next day, drain the lentils, and place in a pan with a cup of water, a drizzling of olive oil, the bay leaves and the whole onion and season with salt. Leave to simmer, adding a little more water if necessary.
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Meanwhile, wrap the cotechino in greaseproof paper and place in a pan of water, simmering for half an hour or so.
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Remove cotechino from pan, and add to the lentils and cook for a further hour or until lentils and cotechino are fully cooked.
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Drain the cotechino, peel and cut into slices. Check seasoning of lentils, and stir in parsley. Serve the slices of cotechino with a generous portion of lentils.