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Lentils N’ Lamb
Served with a Great Little Salad
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Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 55 minutes |
- 2 bunches fresh spring onions
- 1 bunch thyme
- 1 bunch sage
- 1 bunch dill
- 1 lemon, preferably organic
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 small spring cabbage
- 2 long cucumbers
- 1 cup lentils, preferably from Le Puy
- 1 lb. boneless lamb (lamb steaks are a great choice)
- 1 loaf crisp bread
Shopping List
- Black pepper
- Black peppercorns
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Sea salt
- White wine vinegar
Pantry Items
- Bread knife
- Chef’s knife
- Heavy skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Spatula
- Strainer
- Tongs
- Vegetable peeler
- Wooden spoons
- Zester or Microplane
Tools
- Wine: A red from the Languedoc
- Dessert: Fruit salad
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Don’t refrigerate the lamb
- Do refrigerate the cucumbers
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine and pour yourself a glass
- Prep
- Cut the lamb into 1/2-inch chunks.
- Pick over the lentils (you’re looking for small rocks – get rid of them), then rinse them.
- Remove one onion from the bunch. Peel and thinly slice it and put it in a medium bowl.
- Peel and coarsely chop the rest of the onions.
- Peel 2 garlic cloves.
- Rinse and pat dry the dill.
- Separate out 8 sprigs thyme. Save the rest for another use.
- Pluck 4 large sage leaves. Save the rest of the sage for garnish.
- Pluck 1/3 cup dill fronds.
- Zest 1/2 the lemon.
- Peel and cut the carrots into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
- Core the cabbage and coarsely chop the leaves.
- Start Cooking
- Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in the heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the lamb, season it with salt and pepper, and brown it for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Pour 2 cups water into the skillet. Scrape up any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add 1 cup lentils, the onion, garlic and a generous amount of salt. Add 10 peppercorns, the thyme and the sage. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the lentils are tender but still lightly crisp, about 20 minutes.
- While the lamb cooks, peel the cucumbers. Cut them in half, crosswise, then cut each piece in half, lengthwise. Coarsely chop the cucumbers and put them in the bowl with the sliced onion. Drizzle with 2 tbsps. white wine vinegar. Mince the dill and add it to the cucumbers, toss, then season with salt and pepper. Put the salad in the refrigerator.
- Squeeze 2 tbsps. lemon juice through your fingers and into the lentils. Add the lemon zest, the carrots and the cabbage. Stir, cover, cook until the cabbage is wilted and the carrots are just tender, about 15 minutes. If the lentils are dry add a bit more water (no more than 1/4 cup).
- You can set the table yet now and slice the bread.
- When the lamb has finished cooking, adjust the seasoning. Remove the sage leaves and the thyme. Divide it among four bowls and garnish with fresh sage. Serve it, along with the wine, the salad and the bread.
