Cotechino con Lenticchie (New Year's Cotechino — Slow Simmer)

Ingredients

• 1 whole cotechino sausage (500–600 g), skin pricked all over with a fork
• 250 g dried Castelluccio or Puy lentils, rinsed
• 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 2 cm chunks
• 1 medium celery stalk, cut into 2 cm chunks
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 black peppercorns (Tellicherry)
• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 10 g sea salt (for lentils)
• 5 g black pepper (Tellicherry, freshly ground)

Method

1. 1
   Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil; add pricked cotechino, reduce heat to a bare simmer (water should barely bubble), cover with parchment and lid, and poach for 90 minutes (do not allow to boil rapidly, which will cause skin to split).
2. 2
   Meanwhile, combine stock, lentils, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns in a separate pot; bring to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook for 40–50 minutes until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, stirring occasionally.
3. 3
   Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat; add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat and reserve.
4. 4
   When lentils are tender, season with sea salt and black pepper to taste; stir in garlic-infused olive oil.
5. 5
   Remove cotechino from poaching liquid (discard liquid) and slice on a slight bias into 2 cm thick rounds; arrange warm lentils in shallow bowls, top with cotechino slices, and scatter fresh parsley over each portion; serve immediately with crusty bread for soaking the pan juices.