This side dish is quintessentially French. At its best, is made with veal demi-glace, and the good news is you can buy it locally or online. I have made my own, but it did take three days. Or you can substitute demi-glace with a well reduced consommé and beef stock.
Any one of these three solutions must be combined with well browned vegetables. This actually is as important as the demi-glace or reduced consommé. Making this dish is almost like saying I’m making it because I can, and it is outstanding, if you can describe a delicious dish of lentils outstanding, I can.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium carrot finely chopped
- 1 medium parsnip peeled and chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 large stalk celery finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp thyme crushed
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup veal demi glace
- 1 can beef consommé (Campbell's is best)
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 can lentils rinsed
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat.
- Peel and finely chop onions, carrots, parsnips, celery and add to sauté pan.
- Sauté until vegetables and onions are soft.
- Add parsley, bay leaf, thyme and black pepper and cook until the vegetables turn brown.
- Add beef consommé, beef broth and demi-glace and reduce by half.
- Rinse lentils and add to vegetables and heat through for about 5 minutes. Stir to combine.
