NEW YORK: The king of haute seafood, Chef Eric Ripert of the triple Michelin-starred restaurant Le Bernardin in New York has shared a simple dinner idea that makes salmon the star of the show.
It’s a classic French family dinner – pan-roasted salmon sitting on a bed of lentils.
The secret to pimping out plain old lentils? Sautéed lardons (diced or cut-up bacon).
If you don’t have access to fresh salmon, the lentils can serve as a standalone meal, Ripert suggests.
“You can cook the lentils and eat them on their own or w[ith] another fish, meat etc,” he wrote.
Take out the bacon and the lentil recipe becomes vegetarian.
Recipe:
- Sautée a few lardons with a bit of oil, one diced carrot, five garlic cloves and one small onion for five minutes on medium heat.
- Add one pound of lentils and two quarts water (chicken stock optional).
- Simmer for around 30 minutes or until lentils become soft with a bit of liquid left for moisture.
- Season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides and fry in hot, non-stick pan with vegetable oil on medium heat until coloured (around two minutes).
- Turn the salmon to the other side for two more minutes for medium rare.
- Plate the lentils, add a bit of broth and top with the salmon.