INGREDIENTS
Bacon-Braised Lentils:
8 ounces finely diced bacon
⅛ cup chopped garlic
10 small yellow onions, diced
10 small carrots, diced
½ cup tomato paste
2 quarts red lentils
1 pint red wine
Salt
Pepper
Crispy Pork Belly:
1 pork belly
Salt
Cracked black peppercorns
To Assemble and Serve:
Spinach
Salt
Pepper
12 eggs
Chives, finely chopped
METHOD
For the Bacon-Braised Lentils:
Render the bacon until crispy in a heavy 15-quart saucepan. Add the garlic and brown slightly, then add the onions and caramelize. Add the carrots, tomato paste, wine, and a little water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour, then add the lentils and season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat when the lentils are al dente. Cool in an ice bath in the refrigerator, stirring often.
For the Crispy Pork Belly:
Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Season the pork belly with the salt and the black pepper, then slow-roast in the oven until very tender. Cool for 2 hours, then cut into 2-inch squares.
To Assemble and Serve:
Heat a deep fryer to 375ºF. Meanwhile, blanch the spinach. When the deep-fryer is to temperature, deep fry the belly squares until they are crisp and brown. Remove from the fryer and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Slowly poached the eggs in salted water and reserve. On each plate, spoon a bed of lentils and top with the blanched spinach. Top the spinach with a piece of the belly and the poached egg, then sprinkle with the chives.
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