Black Lentil Stew With Sausage And Kale

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, cubed
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 (12 ounce) ring smoked garlic sausage, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups black lentils
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 bunches lacinato (dinosaur) kale
• 1 large tomato, diced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream, or to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot, and celery until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage; mix to coat. Stir in bay leaf and lentils. Pour in broth; season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils start to swell up, about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, pull kale leaves away from the stem. Roll leaves up and chop into ribbons. Place in a colander and wash.
3. Stir kale and tomato into the soup. Cook until kale and lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and season as desired.
4. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with sour cream and cayenne pepper.

butter, yellow onion, carrot, celery, ring smoked garlic sausage, bay leaf, black lentils, chicken broth, salt, freshly ground black pepper, lacinato, tomato, sour cream, cayenne pepper

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268594/black-lentil-stew-with-sausage-and-kale/ (may not work)