Morteau aux Lentilles
Recipes with Saucisse de Morteau
The defining Franche-Comté weeknight: one Saucisse de Morteau poached above a pot of green Le Puy lentils simmered with carrot, onion, and a bay leaf. The sausage fat drips into the lentils during cooking and seasons the whole dish. Ready in an hour, eaten with sharp mustard on the side.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
50 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 1 Saucisse de Morteau (about 400g)
- 300g green Le Puy lentils
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 tbsp butter
- Salt and black pepper
- Dijon mustard, to serve
Steps
Rinse the lentils in cold water. There is no need to soak them.
Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the lentils, bay leaf, and thyme. Pour in 1 liter of cold water. Do not salt yet; salt toughens the lentils.
Lay the whole Saucisse de Morteau on top of the lentils. The sausage will poach while the lentils cook. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cook for 35 to 40 minutes. The lentils should be tender but still hold their shape. Check the water; the lentils should stay just covered.
Lift out the sausage. Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems. Season the lentils with salt and a grind of pepper.
Slice the Morteau into thick rounds, about 1 cm. Serve on a bed of lentils with a pot of Dijon mustard on the side.
Tips
Keep the heat low. A rolling boil splits the Morteau casing and you lose all the fat that seasons the lentils. Save any leftover lentils; they reheat well with a splash of vinegar and a poached egg on top.