Sausage Lentil and Kale Soup with Red Pepper

This soup is great even without the red pepper spread. But if you can find it (at Trader Joe's), this combination of red pepper, eggplant and garlic adds a great deal of flavor and kick to this classic soup.

3/4 cup lentils

1 lb favorite Italian sausage links, sliced

1 sweet yellow onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 12-oz bag chopped kale

2 quarts chicken broth

1/4 cup red pepper and eggplant spread - I used Trader Joe’s

Heat 2-3 cups water to boiling for the lentils. Add lentils and simmer for bout 20-30 minutes, until just softened.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions and sausage in a soup pot for about 10 minutes, until the sausage browns nicely and the onions soften and caramelize a bit. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Drain lentils when cooked just al dente - they will have a chance to cook some more in the broth. Add the kale and the cooked lentils.

Add red pepper spread to the broth.

Simmer for about another 20 minutes until the kale has softened and the soup flavor has had a chance to develop.

Serves 6-8.

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