Cotechino and lentils is a dish traditionally prepared during the Christmas holidays, particularly as a second course for the New Year’s menu. An easy-to-prepare dish full of flavor, where the cotechino is accompanied by a simple stewed lentil side. According to tradition, this dish is enjoyed at the stroke of midnight as a sign of good luck, as lentils, with their coin-like shape, symbolize wealth, while cotechino represents abundance. In reality, cotechino and lentils are so hearty and rich, though rooted in humble tradition, that they can be enjoyed throughout the winter. This is our version. Try it!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: New Year's, Winter
Ingredients to prepare Cotechino and Lentils
- 1 pre-cooked cotechino
- 10.5 oz dried lentils
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk celery
- tomato paste
- rosemary
- vegetable broth (or water)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Tools to prepare Cotechino and Lentils
- Pot
- Casserole
- 1 Cutting board
- Knife
How to prepare Cotechino and Lentils
Prepare the cotechino and lentils by first soaking the dried lentils for at least 2 hours in cold water. Drain them and rinse under running water. Naturally, if you use pre-cooked lentils, just drain them from their preserving liquid. While the lentils are soaking, cook the cotechino. If you use pre-cooked cotechino, just follow the instructions on the package. Generally, it should be immersed with its packaging directly in cold water and cooked for 15 minutes from boiling. Let it rest for a while, then unwrap it, remove the skin and slice it.
If you use a cotechino from the butcher, the cooking process will be a bit longer. First, prick the cotechino in several places with a toothpick and wrap it in a thin cloth, tying both ends with kitchen twine. Then immerse it in a pot with cold water, and when it reaches a boil, lower the heat and cook at low heat for about an hour and 30 minutes. When the cotechino is ready, turn off the heat and let it rest for a few minutes in its cooking liquid. Remove the cloth, peel off the skin, and slice it.
Meanwhile, prepare the lentils: peel the onion, scrape the carrot, clean the celery and dice them all. Put all the vegetables in a saucepan with the oil, add chopped rosemary and let them brown. Add the previously soaked lentils, add the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper and cover with vegetable broth or hot water.
Cook the lentils for about 20 minutes until tender.
Pour the lentils onto a serving dish and serve with the sliced cotechino.
Storage, Variations, and Tips
You can store cotechino and lentils in the fridge, well-sealed in an airtight container, for up to 2-3 days.
Another classic side for cotechino is mashed potatoes.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is cotechino?
Cotechino is a typical sausage from Modena, Emilia, consumed cooked. It’s prepared with mixed pork cuts that are ground, seasoned with salt and pepper, and optionally wine and various aromas, then stuffed into natural or artificial casings.
What goes well with cotechino?
Traditionally, cotechino is accompanied by lentils, but if you don’t like them, you can simply serve it with mashed potatoes.
