Lentils with Pancetta

Name: Lentils with Pancetta
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 stalks celery, cut in half; 1 onion, peeled and halved horizontally; 2 cloves garlic; 1/2 cup lentils; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 6 ounces pancetta, diced (about 1 cup); 1/2 cup finely diced carrot; 1/2 cup finely diced celery; 1/2 cup finely diced shallot; 3 cloves garlic, sliced; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

December 14, 2011

Most recipes for basic lentils call for you to cook the legumes with vegetables until the lentils are tender. In the restaurants, we precook the lentils with celery, onions, and garlic, then finish the dish with finely diced vegetables that keep their flavor and texture, adding pancetta for richness and texture. I’m sure that once you try this technique, you won’t go back to the mushy mélange that home cooks usually end up with. The lentils make a nice accompaniment to fish and poultry entrées.

Recipe notes

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