Herbed Lentils With Bacon Food

LENTILS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Bring water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer (medium-low) and cook, stirring occasionally until just tender, 15 to 22 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking liquid (see tip*)
• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until crisp but not burnt, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a towel-lined plate. Pour off the bacon fat and gently wipe out the pan with a clean paper towel. When bacon is cool enough to handle, chop.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Add onion, celery hearts and leaves, garlic, salt and thyme and cook,stirring often until the onion is softened and the celery is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cooked lentils, vinegar, smoked paprika, pepper and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and cook, stirring until the mixture is hot and thoroughly combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped bacon, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and parsley. Serve warm.

HERBED LENTILS WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still retain their shape. Drain any excess water from the lentils and set them aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, lentils, basil, parsley, and mint to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.
• Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron,
• Good source of: Potassium

CREAMY LENTIL & SPINACH SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Put the oil, onions, carrots and celery in a large saucepan, and cook for about 10 mins to soften.
• Stir in the lentils and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30-35 mins or until the lentils are soft, topping up with water if the mixture begins to dry out. Pop in the spinach and cook for a few mins more, until wilted. Blitz the soup until smooth, then stir through the cream and season. Keep the soup warm over a low heat.
• Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp and golden. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with a little cream and crumble over the crispy bacon.

BRAISED PEAS WITH BACON, LENTILS & COD

Steps:

• To make the pea braise, heat half the olive oil in a shallow saucepan, then sizzle bacon for 5 mins until crisp. Turn the heat down, add the peas to the pan, then cover and braise for 8-10 mins until peas are tender (about 5 mins if you're using frozen peas). Add the lentils to the peas and cook until heated, then remove from heat and dress with lemon juice, seasoning and a bit more olive oil, if necessary. Just before serving, stir through the mint.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan until frothy, then add the fish, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins until the skin is crisp and the fish almost cooked. Flip the fillets over and cook for 1 min. Divide the peas between 4 plates and top with fish. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with a wedge of lemon.

LENTIL SALAD WITH BEETS AND BACON

Steps:

• Chop about two-thirds of the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside. Wrap the thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and garlic in a piece of cheesecloth; tie closed with kitchen twine. Combine the cheesecloth bundle, the remaining slab bacon, the lentils and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, discarding the cheesecloth bundle and bacon; let cool.
• Meanwhile, cook the chopped bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and just crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; set aside.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the mustard and vinegar in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Toss the beets with about 1 tablespoon of the dressing in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the salad: Add the lettuce, endive, shallot, parsley, chives and the prepared lentils and bacon to the bowl with the dressing; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss. Top each serving with some beets.

STEWED LENTILS WITH BACON AND HERBS

Steps:

• To cook the lentils: In a large saucepan combine all the ingredients. Add water to the pot until it covers the ingredients by about 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
• Remove the pot from the heat and season the water with salt. Taste the water to make sure it is seasoned. Let the lentils sit in the salty water for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the lentils to absorb the seasoned water. Ladle off 1 cup of the lentil cooking water and reserve.
• Remove all the vegetables and aromatics from the lentils and discard. Strain the lentils from the water.
• To assemble the lentils: Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon lardoons. When the bacon has rendered off a lot of fat and has become brown and crispy, add the onions. Season the onions with salt and sweat them until they become very soft and aromatic.
• Add the celery, fennel and carrot. Season with salt and saute over medium heat until the vegetables start to become soft and aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the cooked lentils, 1/4 of the reserved lentil cooking water, the mustard and vinegar. Cook until most of the liquid has reduced. Taste for seasoning, add salt or more vinegar, if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.
• MMMMM!!!! Lentils and bacon...OH MY!!

HEARTY LENTIL SOUP WITH BACON AND HERBS

Steps:

• Combine onion, celery, carrot, bacon and garlic in heavy Dutch oven. Stir over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover; add 7 cups broth, lentils, thyme and bay leaf and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
• Transfer half of soup to processor; cool slightly. Puree until smooth. Return puree to Dutch oven. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Combine parsley and chives in small bowl. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle parsley mixture over and serve.

LENTILS AND BACON

Steps:

• Combine lentils,water and bacon in a large heavy saucepan .
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
• Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Add potatoes and continue to cook until lentils are tender about 15 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and sugar.
• Taste and add salt if needed.
• Place in serving dish and keep warm.
• Melt butter in skillet ;saute onions and parsley over medium heat until onions are transparent.
• Spoon over lentils.
• Serve hot.

HERBED LENTILS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Wash and rinse the lentils. Put in a small saucepan and cover with water. Cover and simmer over low heat until just cooked and tender - about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook the bacon in a heavy pan over medium heat until done. Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain most of the fat out of the pan, but leave a little and slowly cook the garlic and shallots until soft and golden. Finely chop all the herbs and cook them slowly with the garlic at the end. Toss the bacon and herb and garlic mixture with the lentils. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss with the lentils too, tasting and adjusting as you go.