Wonderful Warm Salad with Chicken, Bacon, Lentils and Poached Eggs
So many salads are boring and drab and uninspiring and tasteless but it doesn't have to be that way! This salad is vibrant, packed with flavour and incredibly delicious and what's more, it will do your body the world of good!
I made this for lunch the other day with my grandma. Well in actual fact, she made it and I merely did the dressing so I can be totally unbiased when I say it was a taste revelation! If ever you fancy something hearty and filling yet light and healthy or if you simply like good food, you won't go far wrong by making this delicious dish!
Wonderful Warm Salad with Chicken, Bacon, Lentils and Poached Eggs
Serves 4
300g green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, peeled
small bunch of parsley, leaves finely chopped and stalks separated
2 chicken breasts, chopped into chunks
200g lean bacon, chopped into chunks
4½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1/2 bunch sage leaves
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ red onion, very finely chopped
bag of mixed salad leaves
8 very fresh eggs
For the mustard dressing:
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
salt and pepper
Place the lentils in a sauce pan with the bay leaf, garlic and parsley stalks. Cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile place the bacon into a frying pan with ½ tablespoon of the oil and place over a medium heat. Fry for 4-5 minutes until some of the fat has rendered into the pan. Then add the chicken and continue to cook until the bacon is crips and golden and the chicken is cooked through. Scoop out the chicken and bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper. Keep the fat in the pan and add the sage leaves. Fry for a few moments until crisp and then scoop out and drain off with the chicken and bacon.
Once the lentils are tender, drain off the liquid, discard the bay leaf and parsley stalks and squish the garlic cloves. Mix the squashed garlic into the lentils along with the vinegar, mustard and remaining oil. Season well and leave to cool slightly then add the chopped red onion and parsley leaves and mix well.
Place a pan of salted water on the boil then make the mustard dressing by mixing the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl then adding the oil slowly whilst you whisk until the ingredients have emulsified. Season thoroughly and set to one side.
When the pan is gently simmering, break each egg into a ramekin. With a spoon, make a whirlpool in the pan and drop each egg into the middle, two at a time. Leave to cook gently for three minutes, then scoop out and drain. Repeat with the rest of the eggs.
To serve, scatter a handful of salad leaves onto each plate, spoon over the lentil mixture followed by the bacon and chicken. Top with two poached eggs and liberally drizzle over the mustard dressing.
I made this for lunch the other day with my grandma. Well in actual fact, she made it and I merely did the dressing so I can be totally unbiased when I say it was a taste revelation! If ever you fancy something hearty and filling yet light and healthy or if you simply like good food, you won't go far wrong by making this delicious dish!
Wonderful Warm Salad with Chicken, Bacon, Lentils and Poached Eggs
Serves 4
300g green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, peeled
small bunch of parsley, leaves finely chopped and stalks separated
2 chicken breasts, chopped into chunks
200g lean bacon, chopped into chunks
4½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1/2 bunch sage leaves
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ red onion, very finely chopped
bag of mixed salad leaves
8 very fresh eggs
For the mustard dressing:
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
salt and pepper
Place the lentils in a sauce pan with the bay leaf, garlic and parsley stalks. Cover with water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile place the bacon into a frying pan with ½ tablespoon of the oil and place over a medium heat. Fry for 4-5 minutes until some of the fat has rendered into the pan. Then add the chicken and continue to cook until the bacon is crips and golden and the chicken is cooked through. Scoop out the chicken and bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper. Keep the fat in the pan and add the sage leaves. Fry for a few moments until crisp and then scoop out and drain off with the chicken and bacon.
Once the lentils are tender, drain off the liquid, discard the bay leaf and parsley stalks and squish the garlic cloves. Mix the squashed garlic into the lentils along with the vinegar, mustard and remaining oil. Season well and leave to cool slightly then add the chopped red onion and parsley leaves and mix well.
Place a pan of salted water on the boil then make the mustard dressing by mixing the mustard and vinegar in a small bowl then adding the oil slowly whilst you whisk until the ingredients have emulsified. Season thoroughly and set to one side.
When the pan is gently simmering, break each egg into a ramekin. With a spoon, make a whirlpool in the pan and drop each egg into the middle, two at a time. Leave to cook gently for three minutes, then scoop out and drain. Repeat with the rest of the eggs.
To serve, scatter a handful of salad leaves onto each plate, spoon over the lentil mixture followed by the bacon and chicken. Top with two poached eggs and liberally drizzle over the mustard dressing.
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