Lamb with Parmesan and French Lentil Salad
The lamb dish is adapted from the book Italy – Mediterranean Cuisine. The French lentil salad is adapted from davidlebovitz.com. For the lamb pieces I used meat from the leg, but the dish can also be made with shoulder. For the lentil salad I use green French lentils, which keep their shape after boiling. Besides the salad, the lamb in egg and Parmesan would also go wonderfully with a green salad. The quantities given are for 4 servings.
Ingredients
| 150 г | green French lentils (for the salad) |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 1 стрък | fresh thyme |
| 1 | carrot, finely chopped |
| 1 | onion, finely chopped |
| — | salt and freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 чаена лъжица | red wine vinegar (for the vinaigrette) |
| 30 мл | olive oil |
| 1/2 чаена лъжица | Dijon mustard |
| 1-2 стръка | spring onion |
| 500 г | lamb meat from the leg, cut into small pieces (for the lamb) |
| 1 супена лъжица | olive oil |
| 1 | garlic clove, finely chopped |
| 1 чаена лъжица | chopped fresh rosemary |
| 50 мл | white wine |
| — | freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 супена лъжица | freshly grated Parmesan |
| — | cherry tomatoes, to garnish |
| — | extra Parmesan, optional |
Instructions
For the salad, rinse the lentils, place them in a large pot and cover with water 5-6 cm above the lentils. Add the bay leaf and thyme. Set over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat, lightly salt the lentils and cook for 20-25 minutes until done. Drain the cooked lentils and remove the bay leaf and thyme.
Separately, heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the carrot and onion, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes until softened.
For the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients except the spring onion and mix well. Finely chop the spring onion.
In a bowl combine the cooked lentils, the sautéed vegetables and the spring onion. Pour over the vinaigrette and stir well. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
For the lamb, heat the olive oil in a wide pan and add the garlic. Stir for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the meat pieces. Season with salt and sear on all sides. Add the rosemary, sprinkle the meat with freshly ground black pepper and cook for 10 minutes until nicely browned. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Cook a further 8-10 minutes until only the fat remains.
In a bowl combine the lemon juice, eggs and Parmesan and beat with a fork. Pour over the lamb, shake the pan (or gently stir the meat with a wooden spoon) until the eggs set. Serve immediately with the lentil salad, garnished with cherry tomatoes and extra Parmesan.