Ingredients:
2 quarts beef or chicken broth
1 cup lentils, rinsed and sorted
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium orange, quartered
3 parsley sprigs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tesapoon dried, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound salt pork
2 tablespoons all purp. flour
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
6 cooked unsmoked all beef garlic sausages, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Directions:
Combine broth, lentils, chopped vegetables, and pepper in a large saucepan.
Tie orange, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf in cheesecloth bag. Add to saucepan.
Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
Add salt pork and blanch for 10 minutes.
Drain well and cut salt pork into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups).
Transfer to medium skillet.
Place over medium heat and cook utnil salt pork begins to render fat, then increase heat to medium high and saute until browned on all sides, about 20 minutes.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and reduce heat to medium.
Add the flour, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Add to simmering lentil mixture and sontinue stirring for 15 minutes.
Discard cheesecloth bag.
Combine the sour cream and Sherry and stir into the soup.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more water if too thick.
Add sausage and heat through.