1 can (28 ounces) petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1-1/2 cups chopped onions
¾ cup finely chopped celery
¾ cup finely chopped carrot
3 Tablespoons chopped flat parsley or cilantro
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Heat lentils, water, bouillon, and 1 teaspoon of the fennel seed in a 6-quart Dutch oven to boiling. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 1 hour.
Heat lentil mixture to boiling; reduce heat and cover. Simmer until lentils are tender, about 40-45 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, prepare sausage mixture: Remove casings from sausage (if using links). Cook and stir sausage and remaining ½ teaspoon fennel seed in a large skillet until sausage is browned. Stir in all remaining ingredients and mix well.
Heat sausage mixture to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40-45 minutes.
Pour slightly cooled lentil mixture, 4 cups at a time (and using all the liquid), into a blender container. Cover and blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven. Repeat until all lentils are pureed.
Remove bay leaf from sausage-tomato mixture, then stir into pureed lentils. Heat until hot. Garnish with snipped parsley and/or float a thin lemon slice, if desired.
Recipe by The Culinary Cellar at https://theculinarycellar.com/sphere-magazine-january-1975/