RECIPES FOR THE WEEKEND

Ed is an acclaimed cook and food writer. His cookbooks include On the Side (2017), The Borough Market Cookbook (2018) and, most recently, Crave (2021). The latter was named ‘Best Cookbook’ of the year at the 2022 Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards and shortlisted in the same category at the Guild of Food Writers Awards. Ed regularly contributes words and recipes to (among others) The Sunday Times Magazine, Waitrose & Partners FOOD, and Waitrose Weekend. He is active on Instagram as @rocketandsquash.

 

Enjoy a handful of recipes Ed has kindly shared with us where he has utilised his favourite Falcon products, including our Bake Set and 24cm Plates.



RECIPE FOR HERB-LOADED LENTILS

(From On The Side, a sourcebook of inspiring side dishes (Bloomsbury 2017) — photo credit Joe Woodhouse)

This is one of those side dishes that becomes the main event without you realising.
Sure, it’s the obvious partner to salty or smoky meats like smoked sausages, bacon chops,
porchetta and confit duck legs; tender flakes of white fish and goat’s cheese love being eaten with lentils too. But all of those things, amazing as they are, end up playing second
fiddle to these heady, vibrant, moreish, herb-loaded lentils – it’s the pulse that people
come back to for seconds.

It’s much better to cook dried lentils from scratch, rather than reach for soggy, mulchy ones in a tin or packet (and ideally use Puy lentils if you can find them). Be sure to add salt only when they are cooked, and be generous with the herbs and capers.

Serves 4–6 as a side

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large bunch (100g) flat-leaf parsley, including the stalks
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 celery stick, finely diced
  • 300g Puy lentils (brown or green lentils are fine too)
  • Leaves from 10–15 stems tarragon, roughly chopped
  • Leaves from 6 stems mint, finely chopped
  • 30g capers, roughly chopped
  • Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Sea salt

Pick the leaves from the parsley stalks. Reserve half the stalks for another occasion (stock perhaps?), then chop the rest very finely.

In a medium saucepan, heat a little of the oil, add the onion, carrot, celery and chopped parsley stalks and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until softened and sweetened. Rinse the
lentils in a sieve, decant to the saucepan and pour in enough cold water to cover by about 3 cm. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

There won’t be much water left by the end, which is preferable to having to drain off the flavoursome cooking liquor. Ideally there’ll be the equivalent of a mugful, which ensures the lentils are loose rather than stiff. Add a little extra hot water if necessary.

Chop the parsley leaves very finely.

Once the lentils are cooked, add the parsley, tarragon and mint and the capers, the remaining oil and lemon zest and juice. Stir, taste, season with salt and enjoy.

ALONGSIDE: (other recipes from On the Side) Gem lettuce, mint and spring onion
(page 86); Smoky ratatouille (page 114); Leeks vinaigrette with crisp-fried leeks (page 142); Anise-braised spring onions (page 148); Burnt sweet onion petals with cucumber (page 150)


USED IN THE RECIPE

White with Blue Rim Bake Set
£85.00

White with Blue Rim Prep Set
£79.00

White with Blue Rim 24cm Plates
£30.00


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