1083. PUI LENTILS with BACON and MUSHROOMS

500 grams pui lentils
2 onions, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
50 grams dried cepes, soaked in hot water for 1/2 hour
1 bottle red wine
olive oil
2 sprigs thyme
50 grams smoky bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 pint chicken stock

In a heated pan pour in some olive oil and allow to warm for a few minutes. Next add the bacon and onions and allow them to sweat down. Stir around to coat the bacon and onions in the oil. Add to the pan after a min, the thyme, celery, carrots and garlic and leave to cool out for 5-8 mins. Meanwhile squeeze the cepes dry in your hand and chop them finely. After the ingredients in the pan have cooked out, add the cepes and stir again. Next add 1/3 of the bottle of red wine and the liquor from the cepes. Remember to do this slowly as there will be grit in the bottom of the bowl which you do not want to get into the pan. The lentils go into the pan after this and the rest of the wine and the stock. Let everything cook out for the best part of an hour and then it is ready to serve.


courtesy of: Carlton Food Network/ SelecTV Cable Limited