MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Slow Cooker Lentil Soup With Sausage & Apples
 Categories: Vegetables, Fruits, Pork, Herbs, Dairy
      Yield: 4 servings
 
      2 tb Unsalted butter
      1 lg Yellow or red onion; fine
           - chopped
           Salt & black pepper
      2    Tart-firm apples; peeled;
           - diced
      3    Celery ribs; chopped in 1/2"
           - pieces
      6 cl Garlic; fine chopped
      1    Fresh sage sprig; leaves
           - chopped -OR-
    1/2 ts Dried sage
      1    Fresh thyme sprig
     12 oz Dry hard cider (see Tip)
    3/4 lb Smoked sausage; in 1/2"
           - thick coins
     10 oz Dried small green lentils
           - (a.k.a. French lentils or
           - lentils du Puy)
    1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
      2 ts Cider vinegar
    1/4 c  Sour cream
      2 ts Dijon mustard
      6    Scallions; thin sliced,
           - garnish
 
  Melt the butter in a large (12") skillet over medium
  high heat. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook,
  stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5
  minutes. Add half the diced apples and cook, stirring
  until softened, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid
  scorching, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, garlic, sage
  and thyme, and stir to combine. Pour in the cider and
  let it come to a bubble. Scrape the mixture into a 6 to
  8 quart slow cooker.
  
  Add the sausage, lentils, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and a
  generous amount of black pepper to the slow cooker; pour
  in 3 cups water. Cover and cook on low until the lentils
  are tender and the flavors are mellowed and blended,
  about 8 hours. The soup holds well on the warm setting.
  
  Just before you are ready to eat, add the vinegar. Stir
  together the sour cream with the mustard, then stir the
  mixture into the soup. Taste and add more salt and
  pepper if necessary. Serve in bowls topped with the
  scallions and remaining chopped apple.
  
  TIP: Any sparkling or still dry hard cider works well in
  this recipe. In a pinch, you can substitute dry white
  wine and mix in a few spoonfuls of apple juice, if you
  have it. For a nonalcoholic option, use chicken or
  vegetable stock, but increase the vinegar a bit at the
  end for tartness.
  
  Recipe by Sarah DiGregorio
  
  RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM