Lentil Sausage Stew

Heat the oil in the pressure cooker. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils, stock or broth, tomatoes and their liquid, brown sugar, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 10 inutes. Release pressure. Add the vegetables, sausage, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover pressure cooker and bring up to full pressure (15 pounds). Reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Release the pressure. Add vinegar to taste. The stew can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen. This is one of those great stews that tastes even better after a day in the refrigerator. Nutritional Information per serving: calories 262 (26% from fat), protein 21.7 g, fat 7.7 g (mono 3.2 g, poly 2.5 g, sat 1.4 g), carb 9 g, fiber 9 g, chol 29 mg, iron 3.3 mg, sodium 1299 mg, calcium 61 mg. NOTES : This pressure cooker recipe was submitted by Cathy Lielausis. Her husband calls it "Beanie-WeenieStew." It is terrific served with buttered warmed French bread for soaking up every last luscious drop. Recipe by: Adapted from "The New Pressure Cooker Cookbook" Posted to sdm-marked - Prodigys Recipe Exchange Newsletter by "Cathy L. Lielausis" <cathylielausis@mindspring.com> on Sep 05, 1997