Cotechino With Lentils And Broccoli Rabe

Directions

1. Prepare bouquet garni: Place celery, carrot, leek, bay leaf, and thyme in center of a piece of cheesecloth. Gather ends of cheesecloth and tie together thightly to create a bag.
2. In 5-qt saucepot, heat water, lentils, and bouquet garni to boiling over high heat. Skim off any foam which comes to surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer lentils till tender-about 35 min. Add in salt to lentis halfway through cooking time . Drain lentils in strainer, discarding bouquet garni; set lentils aside.
3. Meanwhile, in 4-qt saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling over high heat. With fork, pierce sausage all over. Place sausage in boiling broth.
4. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook sausage till cooked through-about 40 min.
5. Remove sausage from broth to cutting board; cold till easy to handle.
6. Remove casing and slice sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Keep cotechino hot.
7. Strain 1/2 c. broth into measuring c.; freeze leftover broth for another use. In same saucepan, combine lentis and 1/2 c. broth. Stir in parsley and grnd pepper. Keep hot.
8. In large skillet, heat 1 inch water to boiling. Add in broccoli rabe and blanch 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Heat same skillet over medium heat till warm. Add in oil and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add in blanched broccoli rabe and red pepper; saute/fry 3 to 5 min or possibly till broccoli is tender-crisp.
9. To serve, line edge of large serving platter with broccoli rabe mix and spoon lentils into center. Place sausage over lentils and serve.
10. NOTES : If cotechino sausage is not available in your area, use another garlic-flavored sausage.