Italian New Year's 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 and tie together tightly to create a bag. 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 lentils halfway through cooking time. Drain lentils in strainer, discarding bouquet garni; set lentils aside. Meanwhile in 4-qt saucepan, heat chicken broth to boiling over high heat. With fork, pierce sausage all over. Place sausage in boiling broth.
2. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook sausage till cooked through - about 40 min. Remove sausage from broth to cutting board; cold till easy to handle.
3. Remove casing and slice sausage crosswise into 1/4" slices. Keep hot. Strain 1/2 c. broth into measuring; freeze leftover broth for another use. In same saucepan combine lentils and 1/2 c. broth. Stir in parsley and grnd pepper.
4. Keep hot. 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 cook1 minute. Add in blanched broccoli rabe and red pepper; sautee3-5 min or possibly till broccoli is tender-crisp. To serve line edge of large serving platter with broccoli rabe mix and spooon lentils into center.
5. Place sausage over lentils and serve.
6. NYC.