Petit Salé Aux Lentilles
The Centre-Loire part of the Loire Valley is also where the best lentils in France can be found. One of my favorite recipes incorporating lentils is boiled bacon with green lentils, or petit salé aux lentilles.
Preparation Time: 60 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
450 g pork spare-ribs slightly salted
550 g pork shoulder slightly salted
100 g smoked bacon
1 onion pricked with a clove
1/2 leek
1 carrot
1/2 bay leaf, thyme
For the green lentil stew:
220 g green lentils
1 diced carrot
1 chopped onion
3/4 l chicken or beef stock
50 g goose fat
80 g salt bacon, diced
50 g butter
Directions:
For the spare ribs, the shoulder and the bacon:
- Soak the shoulder and spare ribs in cold water for 2 hours changing the water once or twice.
- Rinse them and cook in water, from cold, adding the carrot, leek, onion and herbs.
- Cook very gently for about 1 hour.
For the lentils:
- Place the lentils in cold water and bring to the boil, then drain.
- Brown the diced salt bacon in the goose fat (optional), with the diced carrots and the chopped onion.
- Add the lentils already blanched, the herbs and the chicken or beef stock. Cook for 25 to 30 min according to taste, drain and keep the cooking liquid.
- Reduce this cooking liquid with one of two soup spoons of the cooked lentils.
- After 5 min, stir a large knob of butter into this mixture and add to the rest of the lentils. Now you have both the firm texture of the lentils and the flavor of the mixed lentils.
Presentation:
Arrange the lentils in the centre of the plate, and the spare ribs, shoulder and bacon placed on top; this dish can be served with a piquant sauce.
