Sometimes a Dish
Changes How You Feel About Something. That's partly why even though I love to cook and experiment at home, I love to eat out. At friends', at restaurants, in different countries. Sometimes when a restaurant closes, you don't just mourn the restaurant and the staff, you mourn dishes that you cannot find anywhere else. For example, my mother-in-law at 89 still recalls quite lovingly and in great detail the best bay scallops she's ever eaten at a long-closed restaurant in Chelsea, Manhattan.
I hate lentils. Too mushy. It doesn't help they are super healthy. Dr. Oz can't stop raving about the benefits and how on the eve of his colonoscopy, he snuck some in, and they were found the very next morning in his intestine. Busted!
Cobras & Matadors changed how I feel about and looked at lentils. The restaurant closed, but if you google crispy lentils and Cobras & Matadors, you'll see how many people loved that dish. Crispy French puy lentils, jamon serrano, scallions and a splash of balsamic. I ordered that dish every time I was there, and anyone dining with me also fell in love with that dish.
Every once in a while, I would attempt to recreate the dish and failed. Last night marked a victory. I brought a pot of water to a boil, turned it off, and then soaked the Zursun Idaho heirloom black beluga lentils in that hot water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, I drained the lentils.
I proceeded with my mise en place. Diced yellow and orange carrots. Cut up some Chinese chives in 1" lengths. One shallot. Two slices of bacon. Shelled some English peas. Chopped up some parsley. Threw in a bay leaf.
Once the carrots softened, I added the beluga lentils.
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