A tasty weekend brunch or a quick weeknight dinner
For the stew:
3 cups cooked green or brown lentils (see TIP section below for recommendation)
125 grams of sliced Parma prosciutto, chopped (you can substitute pancetta or bacon)
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sized onions, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stock, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
splash of white wine or water
1 1/2 cups of your favourite stock
2 bay leaves
1 fresh whole red or green Thai chili pepper (optional)
For the goat cheese rounds:
1 log of goat cheese cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1 cup of panko style bread crumbs
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons of butter
METHOD:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Fry the prosciutto (bacon) until it is crispy. Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic and saute for 8 minutes. If the contents start to stick to the pan, deglaze with a splash of wine or water. Add the tomato paste and let toast for a minute. Lastly add cayenne, salt, pepper, bay leaves, fresh chili pepper (optional), and stock. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
While this is simmering prepare the goat cheese. Slice goat cheese in to 1/2 inch rounds. Dip into beaten egg whites and coat with panko breadcrumbs. Keep in fridge.
Once stew is ready, melt the butter in a skillet. When the butter starts to brown, carefully place the rounds of goat cheese in the pan. Fry one side until the bread crumbs become golden and then flip to the other side.
Serve the stew in a bowl or plate and top with the warm goat cheese rounds.
TIPS:
1. The easiest way to slice a log of goat cheese is to freeze it one hour before you slice it.
2. I prefer to use either lentilles du Puy (small French green lentils) or Umbrian lentils (small brown lentils from Umbria, Italy)
3. An alternative to goat cheese, would be to serve with one poached egg per person. The way to do this is to make several wells in the simmering stew, and drop an egg in each well. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes (for over easy). Serve immediately.
4. The goat cheese rounds are also delicious served over a simple arugula salad.
5. Bacon, pancetta or even guanciale can be substituted for the prosciutto.
