Portuguese Sausage And Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. Portuguese sausage
1/2 lb. chopped, smoked ham
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. cumin
8 to 9 c. chicken stock
1 lb. can peeled tomatoes
1/2 lb. dried lentils
salt and pepper to taste
12 large spinach leaves, finely shredded

Preparation

Cook sausage whole.
Cool, slice and reserve.
In heavy soup pot, saute ham, onion, pepper and carrot in oil until tender. Stir in seasoning.
Cook 5 minutes more.
Add all other ingredients except last two.
Cover pot partially and simmer gently for 2 hours.
Taste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add shredded spinach and serve.