Chicken and Le Puy lentils in tomato and tarragon sauce
Another variation on meat and lentil + tomato hotpot - this one quite light and fresh-tasting. The reason for starting the lentils off cooking in a separate pan is to give them a headstart so you don't overcook the chicken waiting for them.
2 cups chicken stock (plus a little more stock or water, if required)
1 cup Le Puy lentils, picked over for debris, and rinsed
olive oil
2 skinless chicken fillets, cut into large bite-sized pieces
3 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut in bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry sherry (could also use white wine)
1 x 400g tin of crushed tomatoes
1 x 700g bottle of passata
1 heaped tsp dried basil
2 heaped tsp dried tarragon
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
(1) Before you start cooking anything else, put stock and lentils in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered. Set a timer for 20 minutes (Can use this time to chop everything else.)
(1b) Throughout cooking the sauce, monitor the lentils. They are done if tender but still with a bite, and liquid mostly absorbed. If done, turn off heat and leave in pot (do not drain). If not done yet, continue to simmer. If in danger of boiling dry, add a little more stock or water. They will probably be done during (5), which will have been 40 - 60 minutes total.
(2) When timer goes off, in a large pot (cast iron is great), fry chicken in batches in a little olive oil over high heat, until just coloured on all sides, but not quite cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover.
(3) Turn heat down to medium-high, and saute onion, carrots and celery a few minutes, until soft and just coloured. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add capsicum and saute another minute.
(4) Add vermouth/sherry, turn heat up high, deglaze pan (i.e. scrape up burnt bits off bottom) and then let bubble until liquid reduced by about half.
(5) Add tomatoes, passata, basil, tarragon and red pepper, stir well, bring back to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, monitor the lentils as described in (1b), turning off when done. If sauce has simmered 20 minutes and lentils are still not done, keep simmering both pots until lentils are done.
(6) Add the lentils and their cooking liquid, and the chicken and its drippings, to the large pot. Stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer another 10 minutes.
(7) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4-6. Serve with: bread and salad, or pasta, or rice.
x-posted at Dth with
comments. Comment wherever you like (scraps of paper posted in the tree outside your house may not be received right away).
2 cups chicken stock (plus a little more stock or water, if required)
1 cup Le Puy lentils, picked over for debris, and rinsed
olive oil
2 skinless chicken fillets, cut into large bite-sized pieces
3 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut in bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry sherry (could also use white wine)
1 x 400g tin of crushed tomatoes
1 x 700g bottle of passata
1 heaped tsp dried basil
2 heaped tsp dried tarragon
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
(1) Before you start cooking anything else, put stock and lentils in a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered. Set a timer for 20 minutes (Can use this time to chop everything else.)
(1b) Throughout cooking the sauce, monitor the lentils. They are done if tender but still with a bite, and liquid mostly absorbed. If done, turn off heat and leave in pot (do not drain). If not done yet, continue to simmer. If in danger of boiling dry, add a little more stock or water. They will probably be done during (5), which will have been 40 - 60 minutes total.
(2) When timer goes off, in a large pot (cast iron is great), fry chicken in batches in a little olive oil over high heat, until just coloured on all sides, but not quite cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover.
(3) Turn heat down to medium-high, and saute onion, carrots and celery a few minutes, until soft and just coloured. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add capsicum and saute another minute.
(4) Add vermouth/sherry, turn heat up high, deglaze pan (i.e. scrape up burnt bits off bottom) and then let bubble until liquid reduced by about half.
(5) Add tomatoes, passata, basil, tarragon and red pepper, stir well, bring back to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, monitor the lentils as described in (1b), turning off when done. If sauce has simmered 20 minutes and lentils are still not done, keep simmering both pots until lentils are done.
(6) Add the lentils and their cooking liquid, and the chicken and its drippings, to the large pot. Stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer another 10 minutes.
(7) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4-6. Serve with: bread and salad, or pasta, or rice.
x-posted at Dth with
comments. Comment wherever you like (scraps of paper posted in the tree outside your house may not be received right away).