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Susan Jung

Red lentils with green peas and roasted garlic

This is a light and easy warm-weather dish that goes well with grilled or roasted chicken. If you don't have aged balsamic vinegar (which is tangy-sweet and as thick as syrup), simmer about 6 tbsp of regular balsamic vinegar until it is reduced to 2 tbsp. Don't overcook the lentils or they'll become mushy and lose their colour.

2 cups red lentils, rinsed

2 cups frozen petits pois (small green peas)

1 bay leaf

10 large cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp or more of curry powder

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, or to taste

2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for roasted garlic

1/3 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Take eight cloves of unpeeled garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap loosely in aluminium foil and roast in the oven until the garlic is soft and blackened in spots. Boil a pan of water and cook the lentils with two cloves of peeled garlic and the bay leaf until the lentils are tender. Add the petits pois to the pan and cook for one minute, then drain and discard the bay leaf and garlic.

Make a dressing with the curry powder, lemon juice, orange juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Toss with the hot, well-drained lentils and peas and add salt and pepper to taste. Peel the skin from the cloves of roasted garlic and shred them. Mix the garlic and sour cream or yoghurt with the lentils and serve warm or at room temperature.

If you're serving with chicken, a suitable wine is the Chateau Eugenie Cuvee Reservee des Tsars 1989 from Cahors, France.

Spiced lentils with caramelised shallots

Serve this as a side dish to roasted lamb or grilled sausages.

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped

4 or more cloves of garlic, diced

1 4cm chunk of ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 scant tsp chilli powder, or to taste

2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed

Salt and pepper

Yoghurt

Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

For the caramelised shallots:

6 large shallots, peeled and sliced thinly into small rings

1/4 cup oil

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the onion and cook over a low heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and cumin, then sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly, to bring out the flavours and aroma. Add the lentils and stir to coat with the other ingredients, then sprinkle in salt and add just enough water to cover. Simmer until lentils are tender, adding more water if necessary. The texture should be slightly soupy but not too thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. While the lentils are cooking, make the caramelised shallots: heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the sliced shallots. Cook over a low heat until shallots are brown. They burn easily, so be careful. Drain the shallots on paper towels. Serve the lentils topped with yoghurt, caramelised shallots, fresh coriander and a drizzle of the shallot oil.

Serve with Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert Crozes Hermitage 2000 from the Rhone Valley, France.

Lentil salad with smoked pork and bacon

This lentil salad makes a hearty first course. Try to use full-flavoured Puy lentils from France, which hold their shape. Inexpensive smoked pork shanks available at most supermarkets work well for this dish.

3 thick slices of pancetta or bacon, diced

2 tsp oil (if using pancetta)

1/2 onion, diced

225 grams Puy lentils, rinsed

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic

200 grams boneless smoked pork shank, cut in thick slices

Red leaf or curly leaf lettuce, rinsed

Chopped parsley for garnish

For the dressing:

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 large shallots, chopped

1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of granulated sugar

A handful of Italian parsley, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2 tsp oil in a heavy pan and cook the pancetta until crisp (if using bacon there is no need to add oil to the pan). Remove pancetta (or bacon) from pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the oil from the pan, add the onion and cook over a low heat until soft and translucent. Transfer the cooked onion to a deep pan and add the lentils, bay leaf, 2 cloves of garlic and the pork shank. Cover with water, bring to the boil then lower heat and simmer until lentils are tender; do not overcook. Remove the smoked pork from the liquid, then drain the lentils and discard the bay leaf and garlic cloves. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Pour dressing over the hot lentils and toss gently. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. When the smoked pork is cool enough to handle cut it into large cubes, discarding fat and skin if you wish. Mix the pork and pancetta with the lentils. Serve on a bed of lettuce and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serves four as a starter.

Serve with Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling 1997 from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany.

Wines recommended by Nellie Ming Lee, food and wine consultant at Oliver's, Prince's Building, Central (tel: 2869 5119).



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