This is a simple but hearty dish. Probably better suited for winter months but I found a good source for French du Puy green lentils in our area. They had been difficult to find heretofore. The store also had some interesting freshly made Chicken Apple Sausage made without chemicals or nitrates. These lentils stay firm when properly cooked but will still be tender. They have a better tooth in my opinion but are more expensive than regular lentils.
I smoked the sausage with apple wood but a grill would work fine as well. I served the dish on a bed of baby spinach and offered whole grain mustard as a condiment for the sausage. Both are optional.
I served the lentils and sausage with John Spottiswood's romaine salad with creamy basil dressing.
As for a wine this is a hearty dish that can stand up to a hefty red. I opted for a Portuguese Iberian blend from Fenestra Winery in Livermore Valley. The wine called Tourvanillo is a 2006 blend of Touriga, Alvarelhao, Tempranillo, Mourvedre, Malbec, Cabernet and Tinto Cao.