Warm Lentil And Smoked Pork Belly Salad Recipes

LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Cook some French green lentils.
• While they're still warm, combine with tomatoes, olives, capers and feta.
• Toss with a vinaigrette made with olive oil, red-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallots and chopped tarragon.

WARM LENTIL SALAD WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Bring lentils, water, and bay leaf to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, then simmer lentils, covered, until tender but not falling apart, 3 to 5 minutes.
• While lentils simmer, cook onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Make vinaigrette by whisking together vinegar, mustard, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a slow stream, whisking until blended well.
• Drain lentils in a colander, discarding bay leaf, and return to saucepan along with vegetable mixture and vinaigrette. Cook over low heat, stirring, until heated through. Keep warm, covered.
• Brown kielbasa in cleaned and dried 12-inch heavy skillet (in 2 batches if necessary), turning over once, about 2 minutes per batch. Stir kielbasa and parsley into lentils.

PORK BELLY WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Score the fat on the belly and season both sides with salt and pepper. Make a bed in a roasting pan with the carrots and onions. Lay the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Pour over the cider and a cup of water. Cook 30 minutes to get the fat running. Stir together the honey and Dijon with a spoonful of water. Brush the mustard mixture onto the fat, and lower the heat to 325 degrees F. Continue cooking, basting occasionally with the honey, for 3 hours.
• An hour before the belly is done, start the lentils. Rinse the lentils in cold water, drain, and put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water, the shallot, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently until tender, 30 to 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure no more water is needed. Drain the lentils, and season with salt, and pepper. Set aside to reheat later.
• Remove the belly from the oven when it's done, and transfer to a baking sheet. Return it to the oven at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes to crispen the skin.
• Meanwhile, drain the juices from the roasting pan into a measuring cup, reserving the vegetables and keeping them warm. Pour the fat off the juices, using some to moisten the lentils and saving the rest for another use. Deglaze the roasting pan with the vinegar and reduce to a glaze, then add the cooking juices and cook down for a minute or two. Reheat the lentils gently.
• Slice the belly and serve with the vegetables, and with the pork-fat moistened lentils.

PORK STEWED WITH LENTILS AND CELERY

Steps:

• In a 3-quart sauté pan or casserole, heat bacon on medium-high until fat starts to render. Shuffle bacon to one side of the pan, add pork and cook about 10 minutes, turning, until pork is lightly browned (though you do not have to be too fussy about it). Add celery and shallots, reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 10 minutes more, stirring until vegetables soften. Add sage and season with salt and generously with pepper.
• Add wine. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken stock and stir in porcini and lentils. Cover and cook on low 45 minutes to an hour, until pork and lentils are tender. Stir in cream, bring to a simmer and check seasonings.
• Scatter celery leaves on top. Serve from the pan or transfer to a shallow bowl.

WARM LENTIL AND SMOKED PORK BELLY SALAD

Steps:

• Put the pork belly or bacon in a pot with one of the onion halves stuck with a clove, 2 small thyme branches and the carrot. Cover with a quart of water and simmer gently until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off heat and keep warm in liquid.
• Meanwhile, put the lentils in a pan. Add the other .5 onion stuck with a clove, 2 small thyme branches and the bay leaf. Add 4 cups water and a little salt. Simmer gently over medium heat until firm-tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain (discard onion, thyme and bay leaf) and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in their skins in well-salted water until done, about 15 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
• Make the vinaigrette: Macerate the shallot in the red wine vinegar for 5 minutes in a small bowl. Add the garlic, Dijon mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil to make a thick sauce. Stir in the chopped capers and cornichons. Just before serving, stir in .25 cup scallions and .5 cup parsley.
• To serve, dress the lentils with half the vinaigrette, then transfer to a platter or serving bowl. Slice the pork belly crosswise into .25-inch slices (save the broth for soup) and arrange over the lentils. Cut the potatoes lengthwise and arrange, cut-side up, around the platter. Spoon the remaining vinaigrette over the sliced meat and potatoes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon each scallions and parsley.