balsamic lentils & salmon

I invited some friends for dinner a couple of days ago. Since I usually choose meat in the main course, I like to serve fish as a starter.

This time I chose salmon and lentils. A great combo, if you ask me.

What you need (for 4 servings as starter or 2 servings as main course):

• 4x 125g filets of salmon
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 50g celery, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 150g mountain lentils (or black lentils)
• 1/2 pear, finely diced
• 50ml balsamic vinegar
• salt&pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 80g of rocket salad

How you do it:

1. heat the olive oil in a pot, add the onion, celery, carrot and and sauté for 2 min. Add the lentils and 450 ml of water. Cook on medium heat until lentils are soft (about 25 - 40 min, depending on the lentils used).
2. meanwhile heat up the sugar in a pot until lightly caramelized. Add the balsamic vinigar and let it reduce to a sirupy state
3. mix up the lentils with your sirup and the pear, add salt and pepper to taste and keep warm on lowest heat
4. heat up a pan until nice and hot, add some olive oil and lay in the salmon (skin side down) and reduce heat instantly to medium heat. Let it roast for 3-4min. Turn the salmon on meat side and let it roast. Press the fish lightly after 2-3min. When you see it starts falling apart, it's done. Otherwise let it roast for 1-2 more mins.
5. place all ingredients on a plate and garnish with the rocket salad.
6. digg in!

Tipps&Tricks 

• always season lentils after cooking. When lentils are cooked in salty or sour water, the cooking process prolongues and it takes forever
• substitute salmon with pikeperch. In this case, also add crispy bacon. Bacon + pikeperch = pure awesomeness!