French Style Braised Lentils

Fabulous fall! Though I wait impatiently all year for the first taste of spring berries, it is fall flavors that have my heart.

Yes, I am a big fan of pumpkin and all shapes and sizes of winter squash, but fall is much more than just a pumpkin spice latte! Fall is full of savory apples and sage, thyme and filling dishes like creamy mashed potatoes and French style braised lentils. All amazing flavors that I am excited to share with you this month.

Fall also seems like a great time to finish my time with The Secret Recipe Club. It has been an amazing ride and I have highlighted some amazing dishes here on Adventures in All Things Food. I have been honored to also have my dishes featured on various blogs over the years. There is something exciting about seeing my family's favorite dishes come to life on other food blogs.

For my final Secret Recipe Club feature I was honored to be assigned to cook from Lavendar and Lovage, where Karen shares some amazing dishes and recipes. She divides her time between North Yorkshire and SW France, and her food reflects that.

I have to admit that I love lentils. I have only two recipes in my repertoire that use lentils and was thrilled to find a hearty and easy dish with lentils on Karen's blog. Her French Style Braised Lentils sounded like the perfect fall dish to share with my family on Sunday. Paired with pan seared pork and apples, mashed potatoes and a little salad, it had everyone falling in love with these fall flavors.

This recipe is very simple and makes a lot of lentils. I made up a full batch for the family and was thrilled to have leftovers for several lunches. The dish begins with a simple saute of the vegetables and bacon. Then the remaining ingredients and lentils are added to simmer for 30 minutes.

This dish proves once again why dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar are staples in my pantry. The combination is amazing!

Once this dish is started, simmering leaves plenty of time to make the rest of the meal.

I opted for a mixture of green and red lentils. Though, the red lentils didn't come out as colorful as I had hoped. They had looked so pretty on the shelf at Trader Joe's. I just couldn't resist!

French Style Braised Lentils
recipe from Lavendar and Lovage

You Will Need:

• 1 tablespoon butter (or oil of your choice)
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 2 c. lentils
• sprig of fresh thyme
• 1Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 c. water
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a dutch oven and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and bacon. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. They should be softened and the onions should be translucent.

Add the lentils to the pan and stir to coat, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix and then cover and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender.

Season to taste and serve immediately, or keep warm to serve with the main course. This dish reheats very well and can also be made ahead of time.

Enjoy!

A fond farewell to all my friends in The Secret Recipe Club! So many amazing memories and delicious dishes have been shared. Thank you all!

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