Name: Puy lentils with bacon
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 leek, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks; 2 sticks celery, trimmed, cut into chunks; 2 bayleaves; 600 gram bacon bones; 12 peppercorns; 1.25 litre cold water; 200 gram puy lentils; 1 tablespoon lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil; 250 gram cherry tomatoes, halved; 100 gram rocket, trimmed; sourdough bread, to serve (omit if eating gluten-free)

Puy lentils with bacon

Big-flavoured, soul-satisfying food has been the basis of European country cooking for generations. Here, Julie Biuso’s rustic recipe continue the tradition. When the mercury drops there’s nowhere better than the sanctuary of a warm kitchen with pots and pans bubbling away on the stovetop, emitting tempting wafts of spices and herbs, garlic, red wine and onions. But don’t have a fit when you see the cooking times of these dishes and think that there’s not enough hours in a day to make them. Most of the preparation times are short and they just cook along happily while you do other things. Even better, prepare or part-prepare them the day before serving.

Serves 4

Cook

2H 10M

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Ingredients

1 leek, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 sticks celery, trimmed, cut into chunks

2 bayleaves

600 gram bacon bones

12 peppercorns

1.25 litre cold water

200 gram puy lentils

1 tablespoon lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil

250 gram cherry tomatoes, halved

100 gram rocket, trimmed

sourdough bread, to serve (omit if eating gluten-free)

Method

1.Put leek, carrots, celery, bayleaves, bacon bones and peppercorns in a saucepan. Add water and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat, partially cover and cook for 2 hours.

2.Strain, reserving liquid and bacon bones. Remove meat from bones, discarding fat and gristle, and set aside. Cover when cool. Once stock has settled, skim off any surface of fat (or run it through a fat-separating jug).

3.Rinse lentils then transfer to a saucepan. Add 2 cups of the stock (cool remaining stock, refrigerate and use within 2 days, or freeze). Bring to a gentle bubble, cover and cook until tender (about 35 minutes).

4.Heat lemon oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add cherry tomatoes and fry briefly until lightly browned.

5.Add bacon meat and let it heat through. Ladle lentils (with any stock) into soup bowls and top with bacon and tomatoes. Strew with rocket and drizzle with lemon oil. Serve with crusty sourdough bread.

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