From every trip I take, I try to bring back just one thing: a local cookbook. This recipe comes from The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook, which I picked up during a visit to San Francisco some years back.
It’s not the prettiest dish to look at, but with just a handful of humble ingredients and a dead-simple process, it’s become a regular in my kitchen. In the book, it goes by the name “Braised Lentils with Bacon.”
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
230g bacon, cut in small blocks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
230g green lentils
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter
Ground black pepper to taste
Coriander and red onion, optional, to serve
Steps:
Put the bacon into a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and drain in a sieve. Rinse the bacon and drain again.
Place the bacon in a large saucepan with the olive oil and onion. Saute over medium-high hear until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the lentils, water, salt and pepper. Simmer until the lentils are done and most water of the liquid has evaporated. (The lentils should be moist).
Add the butter, stir until it melts. Serve with coriander and/or red onion.