Lentils with bacon, leeks, and mustard vinaigrette

[damned_colonial]

This is what I had for dinner tonight. It is OM NOM NOM. I hereby present my "I prefer to think of them as guidelines"-style recipe.




You will need:

* Some kind of flavourful meat with a bit of fat on it: bacon, sausage, etc. Today I used 3 rashers of bacon. Other times I’ve used 2 sausages, or about 6″ of Spanish-style chorizo. So, not too much — this is a really economical way to use meat, and I love doing this sort of thing with meat and legumes.
* Some kind of oniony vegetable: leek, shallot, or just plain onion. You want about one small onion, one large leek, or equivalent.
* About 1.5 cups of dry lentils. I like Puy lentils but you can also use plain brown lentils. As long as they’re a type that will hold their shape.
* Something to flavour the water you’re cooking the lentils in: stock, or a couple of bayleaves, or whatever. Needn’t be too rich, and you can do without if you don’t have anything appropriate in the pantry. Today I used bayleaves and a couple of cloves of garlic.
* 1/4 cup vinegar (I usually use red wine vinegar)
* 1 tblsp wholegrain mustard
* herbs (I used parsley and thyme today) finely chopped
* black pepper

Put the lentils on to cook with some water and flavouring if you’ve got it. Meanwhile, cook/brown your meat then add the oniony things and saute til translucent. Don’t bother to strain off the fat from the meat; it will become part of the salad dressing and is tasty. If your pan could use deglazing, throw in a splash of water and do so. Turn the heat off.

When the lentils are done, strain them (removing bay leaves or whatever) then toss them in the pan with the meat and stuff. Mix the remaining ingredients together to form a dressing, then pour over the lentils and mix through. Adjust flavours if necessary by adding more salt, pepper, vinegar, or even a pinch of sugar if you think it needs it.

This makes about 4 serves. I like taking it to work for lunch.

Btw, I am trying to start up food blogging more regularly at oeconomist_feed. I also post about knitting, personal finance, and generalised domesticity there. If you're into that sort of thing, you might like to subscribe!

Comments

[twistedchick]

Three rashers -- as in three pounds -- of bacon? Or do you mean three strips? Or is this the kind of bacon like chunk side bacon that comes in cubes instead of flat slices?

[damned_colonial]

A rasher is a strip! I've never heard "rasher" mean "pound". I wonder if it's regional?

[twistedchick]

I have always heard of 'rasher' as a larger piece that strips of bacon are carved off of. Not necessarily a pound, but a big piece. (I was using pound as a convenience, since that's how it's generally sold.) Might want to hit the OED on this one.

[damned_colonial]

I don't have OED access online, alas, but Wiktionary concurs with the "strip" definition, as do a few other sources I found online. But it does seem that referring to the slices as rashers is British English, and in the US they usually just say "slices".

[sid]

This sounds very good! Coincidentally, I made a recipe the other day with fish, leeks and bacon. I used too much salt, since the recipe wasn't specific, but otherwise it was delicious.

*memories*

[damned_colonial]

I usually leave salt out of any recipe that has bacon or similar salty meats, then taste at the end to see if it needs it.

[sid]

Good suggestion! This had lemon juice in it, too, so it really hardly needed salt at all.

[zarhooie]

Mmmm looks delicious! I love lentils so I might poke at this later.

On another note, could you please put your entry under a cut? Not the whole thing, but the picture and the recipe should be tucked away. :)

[damned_colonial]

Done.

[zarhooie]

Thanks! That does look super yummy. I'm going to see if I can get my aunt to try lentils!

[alchemise]

Oh, that looks delicious! I will have to try it out. Thanks for sharing the recipe! :D

[explorer0713]

I was with you until the vinegar and mustard. There are very few foods I simply won't touch but vinegar is the biggie (though it is okay if it is not a stand-out flavor.)

Would lemon juice work? Since that is often used in place of vinegar - or would that just be too wierd?

[damned_colonial]

Well, I think it would taste kind of weird, but if you don't eat vinegar I guess you could try it.

[(Anonymous)]

If not mornig, you ought to do it by tomorrow during business hours.