Black Lentil Stew with Sausage & Kale – Dark Food for Dark Days

There's nothing like a big, steaming bowl of comfort food to make everything seem all right, and this dark, but delightful black lentil stew with sausage and kale is no exception. Whether you're battling a lack of sunlight, or troubles at work, or you're a NY Giants fan, a dish like this can do wonders to brighten your mood.

Sausage and lentils is a marriage made in heaven, and so good together, that not even kale can ruin it. I'm kidding, and actually love kale, but if you're not the biggest fan in the world, maybe try it one more time in this. As long as you cook the greens until they get nice and tender, you'll be surprised how sweet, and mild they become.

In case that's asking too much, spinach, and/or other vegetables will also work here, as these types of recipes are a perfect catch-all for seasonal produce. You people with neighbors who grow zucchini should pay especially close attention to that last part. Regardless of what you add, or don't, I really do hope you give this black lentil stew a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, large dice
• 1 large carrot, cubed
• 1 rib celery, cubed
• 12 ounces smoked garlic sausage, or any kind of sausage (cook fresh sausage first, and then slice)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups black lentils
• 6 cups chicken broth
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 bunches (about 12 ounces by weight) kale or other leafy dark greens, chopped, washed
• 1 large diced tomato, optional
• sour cream and cayenne to garnish