Polish Sausage and Lentils

Description

From my Aunt Barbara's collection. Notation on card says it came from the Cedar Oaks Plantation Recipes and is dated 1902.

• Contributed by Cat's Recipes Y-Group

Ingredients

• 1 cup rinsed lentils
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium-sized can tomatoes
• 2 pounds Polish sausage
• 1 teaspoon sugar,
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt

Procedures

1. Put 1 cup rinsed lentils in a large saucepan with salted water to cover.
2. Bring the lentils to a boil, cover them, and cook them over low heat for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender but still hold their shape.
3. Drain them and reserve the cooking liquid.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a flame proof casserole.
5. Stir in 2 medium onions, chopped and 3 garlic cloves, crushed, and cook the mixture until the onions are tender.
6. Mix in 1 medium-sized can tomatoes, drained and chopped, and cook the mixture over moderate heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
7. Peel the casing from 2 pounds polish sausage and cut the meat into slices about ½ inch thick.
8. Toss the sausage with the tomato mixture and add the lentils, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt.
9. Stir in a little of the lentil liquid and bake the mixture in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes.
10. Add more lentil liquid if the mixture looks dry during baking.