Lentils with Kale and Bacon

April 28, 2010

After getting all over excited about the onset of Spring and the flavours that come with it, I’m having something of a comfort food revival.

This weekend it rained a lot, with no regard for the fact that I needed to fit in 10 miles of half marathon training. Charming.

And rain basically equals me needing to find something hot to conjure up in the kitchen whilst I ignore the outdoors.

Lentils with Kale and Bacon
adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

  • 5 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 7 cups of chicken broth
  • 3 cups of lentils
  • 2-3 cups of kale, chopped

Directions

  1. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once the bacon is cooked, remove and place on a paper towel.
  2. Remove all but 1-2 teaspoons of bacon grease from the pan then add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute.
  4. Add the tomatoes, salt, freshly cracked pepper, cumin, and crushed red pepper; stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken broth, and lentils; stir then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
  6. Add the fresh chopped kale as well as the cooked bacon and simmer for 5 minutes then serve.
  7. Serves 8-10. Enjoy with crusty baguette or a country loaf, and a glass of red wine too, if you like (you know I do).


Perfect healthy comfort food for a rainy day!

In order to turn this into a soup, I’d use 2 cups of lentils, rather than 3 or perhaps up the broth levels. This way it’s delicious as a main or side dish. I plan on boxing it up and having it for lunch all week. Yes.

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