The flavors are wonderful together. We doubled the lentil mixture, which is good on its own. (I always soak lentils a few hours if I have time.) Next time I may try a low broiler for the salmon instead of a hot oven so the bacon will crisp more, but it was delicious as written.
SALMON WITH BACON AND LENTILS
From La Cléde, a restaurant in Cévennes National Park in southern France. Printed in Bon Appetit, 6/96.
1 cup lentils
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
4 2-inch long orange peel strips (orange part only)
2½ cups water
Salt and pepper
4 8-oz. salmon fillets, each cut crosswise into 3 pieces
6 bacon slices, each cut crosswise in half.
¼ cup whipping cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped chives or green onions
2 tbs. minced fresh tarragon or 2 tsp. dried
Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid. Discard orange peel. Return lentils to pan. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.)
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place salmon on baking sheet. Wrap 1 piece bacon around center of each salmon piece, arranging bacon ends on bottom. Bake until salmon is opaque in center, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, add enough reserved cooking liquid to lentils to moisten. Mix in cream, then parsley, chives and tarragon and bring to simmer. Spoon lentils onto plates. Top each with 3 salmon pieces in spoke pattern and serve.
SALMON WITH BACON AND LENTILS
From La Cléde, a restaurant in Cévennes National Park in southern France. Printed in Bon Appetit, 6/96.
1 cup lentils
1 onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
4 2-inch long orange peel strips (orange part only)
2½ cups water
Salt and pepper
4 8-oz. salmon fillets, each cut crosswise into 3 pieces
6 bacon slices, each cut crosswise in half.
¼ cup whipping cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped chives or green onions
2 tbs. minced fresh tarragon or 2 tsp. dried
Combine first 5 ingredients in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid. Discard orange peel. Return lentils to pan. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.)
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place salmon on baking sheet. Wrap 1 piece bacon around center of each salmon piece, arranging bacon ends on bottom. Bake until salmon is opaque in center, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, add enough reserved cooking liquid to lentils to moisten. Mix in cream, then parsley, chives and tarragon and bring to simmer. Spoon lentils onto plates. Top each with 3 salmon pieces in spoke pattern and serve.