Cotechino Negroni, creamed potatoes and lentils

Cotechino and lentils with creamed potatoes! With a dish like this, your New Year celebrations will be even more memorable. This recipe reflects the typical Italian custom of eating lentils as the clock strikes midnight - to bring wealth and prosperity for the New Year – accompanied by delicious, easy to prepare creamed potatoes for an extra dash of colour and flavour!

The Recipe:

Scrub the potatoes to get the skins clean and boil them in plenty of water. Peel and chop the onion and gently fry in a saucepan with a little oil. Add the lentils (previously soaked if necessary), herbs and water and cook for the time required. Season with salt and pepper. 

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, immerse the bag containing the cotechino Negroni (following the instructions on the packet) and cook for about 20 minutes. When ready, open the bag and strain the cotechino to remove its liquid. Leave it to cool slightly before cutting into slices about 1 inch thick. When the potatoes have finished cooking, remove the skins and blend with the cream, saffron, oil, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy. Put this mixture into a piping bag. If you wish to give the dish an extra special touch, rapidly seer the cotechino Negroni slices in a non-stick pan and sprinkle with a little vinegar, leaving it to evaporate. Serve with the creamed potatoes and strained lentils.