Lentil and Radicchio Salad with Goat Cheese and Pancetta

Photo by S. Newton

Made this again for a dinner party and it was a smashing hit. One tip though--use the pre-diced pancetta and cook up two packages. Your guests will want extras, trust me! Yum!

Ingredients

• 4 thick slices pancetta, diced (recommend pre-diced package)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked lentils, preferably French green lentils
• 1 head radicchio
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 ounces aged goat cheese, cut into 6 small rounds
• fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Method

1. Sauté the pancetta in a heavy saucepan until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
2. Add the carrot, onion and celery to the drippings in the saucepan. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the lentils and water to cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender; drain.
3. Remove 6 outer leaves of the radicchio carefully to form serving cups for the salad. Shred the remaining radicchio.
4. Whisk the Dijon mustard, vinegar and olive oil together in a bowl. Add the lentils and shredded radicchio and toss to coat well. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place the radicchio-leaf cups on the serving plates. Spoon the lentil mixture into the cups. Top with the goat cheese and sprinkle with the pancetta. Finish with a final grind of pepper and garnish with thyme leaves.

Recommended: Using a torch, char the outer edges of the radicchio cup and melt the goat cheese a little.

Pair with a Cabernet or Meritage

Serves six

Jorge's Pico de Gallo

I love good pico de gallo and this one couldn't be easier to make. You do want to chop these ingredients by hand instead of using a food processor. Yum!

Ingredients

• Four vine tomatoes, cleaned, finely chopped
• 1 yellow onion finely chopped 
• 1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro fresh
• 2 Anaheim green chiles, deseeded, finely chopped
• Salt to taste (2-3 dashes kosher)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Mix all ingredients together and let set for at least two hours at room temperature or in the fridge.

The Holy Pancake 2.0

Ahhhhhhh, pancakes!

I used to think that when you went to a restaurant for breakfast, that it was always pretty safe to order pancakes. I mean, they're pretty basic and I thought at the time tough to ruin. Years of disappointment in the commercial recipes for the lowly flapjack proved my maxim oh so wrong. Even mixes disappoint. So, like Lancelot searching for the Holy Grail, I embarked on my quest for the equivalent in a pancake recipe. I have yet to find the "perfect" recipe, however, through the years of culling and tweaking, I have come upon something that satisfies even my palate for the great cake of the pan. These are fluffy (trick is not to over mix the batter), full of holes and crannies for butter and syrup, and, if you cook them in butter or bacon grease, they get nice and crispy around the edges. Hungry yet? You definitely want to make these. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 14 oz can coconut milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with a fork (flour, baking powder, salt and sugar).
2. Separately, mix the egg and coconut milk until combined.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the coconut milk and egg, stirring as you go, mixing until combined. If the batter is too thick to your liking, it can be thinned with a little water.
4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over low-medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle using 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Serves 6 to 8

Note: This updated version of the pancake (2.0) uses coconut milk which gives it a unique and delicious flavor. Topped with sliced bananas and maple syrup, it is wonderful!