Sausage and Lentil Soup

I got this recipe off the food network a few months ago and now that it's cooler outside I finally had the chance to make it. It was fabulous! I loved it. The recipe calls for leeks. I'd never used leeks in anything before so it was definitely an adventure, but the soup was delicious so I would recommend trying it with the leeks if you can. Otherwise I think you could just do the onion.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

• 1/2 lbs Lentils
• 2-6 T Olive Oil
• 2 C Chopped Onions
• 2 C Chopped Leeks
• 1/2 T Minced Garlic
• 1/2 T Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 T Salt
• 3/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 C Chopped Carrots
• 2 C Chopped Celery
• 1 1/2 quarts Chicken Broth
• 2 T Tomato Paste
• Sausage or Kielbasa

Pour Boiling water over lentils and let soak for 15 minutes.

Pour olive oil in bottom of soup pan, enough to almost cover bottom. Add onions, leeks, garlic, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper and saute in olive oil till onions and leeks are tender.

This was the leek I used. I'd never even seen one before.
This is what it should look like when everything is added together.

Add all remaining ingredients and the lentils, except for sausage, into the pan. Simmer for about an hour. Add the sausage during the last 10 minutes.

I used fully cooked, smoked beef sausage. You could use what ever you wanted, just make sure it's fully cooked.

Serve with parmesan cheese on top.