Some ingredients just have a natural affinity which shouldn’t be monkeyed with. Lentils. Bacon. Vinegar. Spinach. No amount of yuzu/tahini/maple syrup/pickle juice/smoked paprika/bee pollen/hot honey/Reece’s cups or whatever other flavours are currently smashing it on Reels, can possible be an improvement. Full stop, end of story, no arguing. So we’ve fashioned them into a warm salad-style arrangement, adding some potato for even more heft, green olives for a touch of puckery saltiness, and roasted hazelnuts for lovely crunch. Then, because we love it and can’t help ourselves, we shoved a slab of crisp-skinned salmon on top, and pronounced the whole thing delish. 

Why black lentils? You could absolutely use the more common brown ones, but be aware these easily overcook and turn to mush. Black ones are smaller and have a thicker skin, so they hold up better in a salad situation. Plus, they look prettier, no? Allegedly, black lentils are the healthiest of the lentil types, containing plenty of calcium, potassium, iron and protein, as well as the antioxidant anthocyanin. Which gives them their deep purple-blue-ish colour. You could also use French Puy or Puy-style grey-green lentils although these take longer to cook. Budget on up to 45 minutes, and on spending more dosh too as these are the costliest of all lentils to buy. 

SERVES 4

210g (1 cup) black French-style lentils

2 all-purpose potatoes, halved lengthways

2 tbsp olive oil

4 x 150g salmon fillets, skin dried

70g (½ cup) pitted green olives, halved

50g (⅓ cup) hazelnuts, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 bunch spinach, leaves washed and dried

Hot bacon dressing

100ml extra virgin olive oil

125g rindless smoky bacon (about 4 rashers), sliced

3 shallots, or 1 red onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tbsp dijon mustard, or to taste

100ml red wine vinegar

Place the lentils in a saucepan, then add enough cold water to generously cover. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked but still a little al dente. Drain well, then set aside. Meanwhile, cook the potato in boiling, salted water for 17-20 minutes or until just tender. Drain well, then cut into 1.5cm pieces. Set aside.

For the bacon dressing, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, then add the bacon, Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes or until light golden, Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, for another 3 minutes or until the shallots are translucent. Reduce the heat to medium, add the mustard and vinegar, and stir to mix well. Add the remaining oil, stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan and keep warm.

While the bacon is cooking, start cooking the salmon. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Salt the salmon skin well, then place it in the pan, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden, then turn over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until cooked to your liking; the salmon should still be a little pink in the middle.

Combine the lentils, potatoes, olives, hazelnuts and spinach in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle over the warm dressing, then toss to combine well. Divide among warmed plates, then serve with the salmon.

Proudly partnering with Mt Cook Alpine Salmon