Sprouted Lentil Soup with Chorizo and Kale

I have fond memories of my mother's vegetarian split pea
soup. The soup here is my attempt to replicate the comfort of that soup from my childhood (nothing can suffice for soup made by one's mother), while adding in healthy animal fats, greens, and spicy chorizo sausages. This is a hearty, warming dish for us Minnesotans still living in the land of snow and ice.

Sprouted Lentil Soup with Chorizo and Kale

Ingredients:

1 cup truRoots sprouted green lentils
1 lb chorizo sausage (for your kids you might want to get mild brats)
1 large onion diced
1 medium sized carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 bunch green kale, de-stemmed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 quart chicken stock, plus 1 cup water
3 T duck fat (available locally at Coastal Seafoods) or ,ghee
real sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions for making sprouted lentil soup:

1. Melt 2 T duck fat in a large soup pot. Saute onions, carrots, celery until onions are almost translucent. Add in garlic and other spices, stirring and cooking on medium heat for a few minutes until very fragrant. Throw in the chopped kale and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Next pour in the chicken stock, water, and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Allow to cook about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt 2 T duck fat and brown 4 fresh chorizo sausages on all sides (the ones I buy are the size of brats). Once browned and cooked through, chop the sausage into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

4. Serve soup with chopped chorizo on top, adding a dollop of creme fraiche or mascarpone as well.

Recipe note: If you're not using sprouted lentils the cook time will be longer.

I'm sharing this recipe with Kelly the Kitchn Kop's Real Food Wednesday and Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday!