Marisa Siegel Marisa Siegel

Lentils with Sausage & Sage

This is the kind of dinner that will make you feel good. When we were done eating it, we said, “I feel good,” and we meant it. It tastes good, it’s filling, it’s not heavy, and it’s a quick and easy turnaround. Basically, everything I look for in a weeknight dinner.

lentils with sage and sausage.jpeg

This is the kind of dinner that will make you feel good. When we were done eating it, we said, “I feel good,” and we meant it. It tastes good, it’s filling, it’s not heavy, and it’s a quick and easy turnaround. Basically, everything I look for in a weeknight dinner.

Cooking dry lentils does take some time, to be completely honest - but, in my book, that’s easily dismissed because they can be done the night before or anytime the day you’re eating. Plus, simmering lentils with some roughly chopped vegetables never seems like much of a chore - I put it on and, while I might peek once in a while if I’m around, I pretty much check back again 90 minutes later. I used green lentils, but brown lentils would be a fine substitute. I would stay away from orange or red lentils, which tend to lose their shape and get mushy. Soak lentils for three hours, up to overnight, before cooking; this has the benefit of making them cook faster and makes them easier to digest.

Once the lentils are done, the rest is simple: sear some sausage, sizzle sage and garlic (whole, not even chopped!) to flavor some olive oil, mix and serve. I chose to use chunks of sausage, but it would be faster cooking to use loose sausage and break it up as you cook - and you’d have the added benefit of more distributed sausage in your bites. I recommend a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon at the end of this, along with the chopped parsley, to bring some brightness and freshness.


Lentils with Sausage & Sage

Time: 2 hours || Servings: 4 || Source: Slightly adapted from The Silver Spoon

  • Lentils, green or brown - 9 oz (approximately 1 ⅓ cups)

  • Celery stalk - 1

  • Carrot - 1

  • Onion, small - 1

  • Italian sausage (hot or sweet) - 4 links, around 12 oz

  • Olive oil - 3 tbsp, plus more for garnish

  • Sage leaves - 6

  • Garlic clove - 1

  • Lemon juice - 1/2 of a lemon, or to taste

  • Parsley - 1 tbsp, chopped

Soak the lentils for at least 3 hours, up to overnight. Discard any lentils that float to the top of the bowl. When you’re ready to cook them, drain and rinse the lentils. Place them in a pot and add water to cover; there should be about an inch of water above the lentils. Cut the onion in half and add to the pot with the celery stalk and carrot (roughly chop celery and carrot if needed to fit the pot). The vegetables should be washed but do not need to be peeled. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 90 minutes, adding additional water if it drops below the lentils. Taste the lentils to determine that they are done; they should be tender to the bite, although some varieties may have more firmness. Cook until they reach your desired consistency, then drain and season with a pinch of salt.

Place a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Chop the sausages or remove them from their casing and crumble them. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan, then add the sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about ten minutes.

In a large pan, place the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil over low heat. Add the sage and garlic and cook slowly until garlic is golden brown. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the sausages and lentils to the oil and remove from heat. Mix well. Serve with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and chopped parsley.

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Marisa Siegel Marisa Siegel

Roasted Chicken Legs and Cauliflower with Yogurt

This is a really simple weeknight dinner type of dish - but I wouldn’t have any qualms about serving this for guests. Coat chicken, cauliflower, and some quartered shallots in a warm spice mix and put it in the oven - 40 minutes later, you have dinner! An herby greek yogurt with bright lemon and garlic cuts the heat and adds a tangy contrast.

completed chicken.jpg

This is a really simple weeknight dinner type of dish - but I wouldn’t have any qualms about serving this to guests. Coat chicken, cauliflower, and some quartered shallots in a warm spice mix and put it in the oven - 40 minutes later, you have dinner! An herby greek yogurt with bright lemon and garlic cuts the heat and adds a tangy contrast.

The chicken here is marinated in a spicy rub as much as a day ahead, if possible, or even just an hour. If you don’t have the forethought to do it earlier, just rub it on and under the skin for maximum flavor when you’re ready to cook. The dregs of the marinade coat the cauliflower and shallots, continuing our simplicity theme. Cauliflower is a nice vehicle for the spices, but you could substitute broccoli or maybe even zucchini in the summer.

I found this quite filling on its own, but if you want to round it out, feel free to double the marinade and toss some potatoes (fingerlings, chopped yellow potatoes, chopped sweet potato) in with the rest of the vegetables. Rice (maybe mixed with some parsley and lemon zest) would be another great option to bulk this out.


Roasted Chicken Legs and Cauliflower with Yogurt

Time: 1 hour || Servings: 4 || Source: Adapted from Yossy Arefi at NYT

  • Coriander, ground - 1 tsp

  • Smoked paprika - 1 tsp

  • Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp

  • Olive oil - 3 tbsp

  • Chicken legs, bone-in, skin-on - 4

  • Cauliflower - 1 small head, about 1 1/2 lb

  • Shallots - 3

  • Greek yogurt - 1 cup

  • Mint - 2 tbsp, chopped

  • Cilantro - 2 tbsp, chopped

  • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed - 2 tbsp

  • Garlic clove - 1

Up to a day before you plan to cook, marinate the chicken. In a container with a cover large enough to hold the chicken (or a gallon bag), combine 1 tbsp of olive oil with the coriander, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Add a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Add chicken and coat it well in the marinade. If you’re using a gallon bag, push the air out of the bag and seal, and then vigorously rub the chicken to coat it. Refrigerate chicken until you’re ready to cook.
Note: If you don’t get this done the day before, you can rub the marinade on and under the skin to help the flavors soak in - in any case, it’ll still taste great.

When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 425°F. Peel the shallots and cut into quarters. Separate the cauliflower into florets no bigger than 2 inches.

Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on a sheet pan. Add another 2 tbsp of olive oil to the container that held the chicken. Toss the cauliflower and shallots in the olive oil, adding a pinch each of salt and pepper, then distribute onto the sheet pan around the chicken.

Place pan in the oven and roast for 40 minutes. Check about halfway through and give the vegetables a stir. The chicken is done when it’s browned and cooked through (165°F). This might be a little before the time is up - if that’s the case, pull the chicken out and cover to keep warm, and let the vegetables continue to roast until tender.

Make the yogurt sauce - this could be done ahead in the day, or while the chicken’s cooking. Whisk together the yogurt, mint, cilantro, and grated garlic. Add lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, then taste and adjust.

Serve topped with juices from the sheet pan, a squeeze of lemon, a few cilantro leaves, and a large dollop of yogurt sauce.

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