pretty by the bay

My trip to the Oakland farmer’s market yielded more than produce. At the suggestion of my friend Jess, I picked up some Lamb, Fennel and Sundried Tomato Sausages from Fabrique Delices, a CA company that sells its artisanal charcuterie at various Bay Area farmers markets. They were a little pricey, but when I purchase specialty items like this, I make it my mission to create at least two meals and get the biggest bang for my buck. After dividing the package in half, I whipped up some Sausage and Peppers to serve over another fun new product: Ivory Lentils!

I bought these last month from A Southern Season. I thought they were sort of exotic, but it turns out Ivory (White) Lentils are simply black lentils with the dark skin removed. Regardless, they had an interesting flavor and texture – similar to rice, but chewier.  I cooked one cup of dried lentils in 4 cups of chicken stock until they were tender and slightly creamy, then seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. For the Sausage and Peppers, I sauteed three whole sausages over medium heat until they began to brown, about 7 minutes. I then added one chopped green bell pepper and one chopped onion, sauteeing the vegetables alongside the sausages until everything was nice and brown. I sliced the sausages and served the mixture over the cooked lentils. Delicious, and so easy you don’t even need a real recipe!

With the remaining three sausages, I decided to do a twist on this lasagna recipe. I followed the directions as they are written, but used the lamb sausage in lieu of Italian sausage and added chopped sundried tomatoes to each layer of the lasagna. Oh. My. GOODNESS. It was so earthy and rich! The sundried tomatoes were a wonderful addition, a great complement to the flavors in the sausage.If you live outside the Bay Area and can’t get your hands on Fabrique Delices products, check your local Whole Foods or gourmet grocer for a similar lamb sausage. It really made the dish something special.