I'm on a lentil kick.
This is one of my favorite recipes from Sara Moulton "Cooks from Home" cookbook.
Roasted Salmon with Warm Lentil Salad
1 cup green lentil--preferably lentilles du Puy
2 ounces pancetta, or bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
6 T EVOO
2 T lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar (could use less)
2 t dijon mustard
2-4 T chicken stock/broth
2 T chopped fresh herbs--whatever you have around--parsley, chives, tarragon, or thyme
Place the lentils in a large saucepan and pour enough water over to cover by 1 inch. (Sara suggests adding salt here, but my lentil-expert friend says not to salt lentils while they are cooking). Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium and simmer until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pancetta in a small skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat and add the onion and garlic. Saute until softened. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange salmon in a shallow roasting ban or baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Bake until desired doneness.
Drain the lentils well and return to the saucepan. Add the vinegar (I would start with 1 tablespoon first) and mustard, then season. Stir in the pancetta, cooked onion mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup oil, and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock. Stir well and adjust with more stock and seasonings if needed. You want a moist lentil mixture. Stir in herbs at the last minute. Serve each piece of salmon with the lentil salad.
Serves 4.
I haven't worked to much on the wine pairing with this dish. When I made it a few weeks ago, I had a 2005 Eno "G" open, so that's what I drank. While I love this Grenache from Eaglepoint Ranch fruit, it wasn't a terrific match with the dish. I served it to Tony the next day for lunch and we opened an '06 Bennett Lane White Maximus Feasting wine. Basically a fun blend of SB, Chardonnay and Muscat. It was rich enough to stand up to the salmon, yet plenty of acid to keep things from getting to heavy.