Italian Sausage, Fennel, and Lentil Stew

This tasty recipe demonstrates my love for all fennel-flavored foods. The use of Italian sausage, a fennel bulb, fennel seed, and fresh tarragon has an aftertaste of licorice which I adore. They all come together in this lentil-based stew. Enriched at the end with heavy cream and optional herbaceous green Chartreuse.

8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 pound bulk Italian sausage, separated into ½-inch pieces

1 medium onion, small diced

1 fennel bulb, small diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, minced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed and chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 cups chicken broth (more if necessary)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 pound lentils, sorted, washed (about 2 ¼ cups)

½ cup heavy cream

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons green Chartreuse (optional)

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook thoroughly. Add onions, fennel, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about four minutes. Add tarragon, fennel seeds, oregano, broth, salt, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer; cook covered until tender, about fifty minutes (time depends on age and type of lentil). Add more broth if it starts to run dry.

2.     Stir in the cream. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the optional Chartreuse. Serve hot, garnished with Italian parsley.

Italian Sausage, Fennel, and Lentil Stew

Italian Sausage, Fennel, and Lentil Stew
Yield: 8 servings
Author:
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This tasty recipe demonstrates my love for all fennel-flavored foods. The use of Italian sausage, a fennel bulb, fennel seed, and fresh tarragon has an aftertaste of licorice which I adore. They all come together in this lentil-based stew. Enriched at the end with heavy cream and optional herbaceous green Chartreuse.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound bulk Italian sausage, separated into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 medium onion, small diced
  • 1 fennel bulb, small diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 6 cups chicken broth (more if necessary)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pound lentils, sorted, washed (about 2 ¼ cups)
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons green Chartreuse (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the sausage and cook thoroughly. Add onions, fennel, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about four minutes. Add tarragon, fennel seeds, oregano, broth, salt, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer; cook covered until tender, about fifty minutes (time depends on age and type of lentil). Add more broth if it starts to run dry.
  2. Stir in the cream. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the optional Chartreuse. Serve hot, garnished with Italian parsley.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350.87

Fat (grams)

23.26

Sat. Fat (grams)

9.52

Carbs (grams)

18.09

Fiber (grams)

5.37

Net carbs

12.72

Sugar (grams)

4.33

Protein (grams)

18.09

Sodium (milligrams)

1463.46

Cholesterol (grams)

52.86

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

stew, fennel, Italian sausage, lentil
lunch, dinner, entree
American
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Linda Hierholzer