Warm ham and lentil salad - Test 1

http://www.cuisineetgourmandise.fr/2019/03/plat-de-lentilles-vertes-aux-champignons-jambon-indice-glycemique-bas.html 

http://la-cuisine-de-gigi.com/2018/04/lentilles-vertes-au-jambon-et-carottes.html

1 - It's good with a healthy slice of buttered bread, but something is missing, and I think it's 'tang', which could be achieved with a vinaigrette, which I am adding.

2 - I thought this second iteration with the vinaigrette was better, but Ben still felt that it lacked a certain 'je ne sais quoi'. I suspect it just needs to actually be served on a bed of lettuce.

3 - Yup, it really needs to be served on a bed of lettuce. :)

2/3 cup French lentils

1 1/2 cups chicken or pork bone broth

1 bouquet garni of thyme, parsley and celery or lovage

1/4 cup olive oil

3-4 tsps red wine vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

6 oz mushrooms, cubed

1-2 carrot, cubed

6 oz ham slice (1/4" thick) cut into cubes

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove

Salt and pepper

1-2 tsps Dijon mustard

Crisp lettuce leaves.

1. In a saucepan, cook the lentils in the broth with the bouquet garni until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes.
2. Prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl whisk together (or put in a small jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously) the 1/4 cup of oil, the vinegar and the dijon and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a high-sided fry pan dry sauté the onion, carrot, mushrooms and ham cubes until liquid has evaporated and it's starting to brown.
4. Add garlic and a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper to taste. Stir for about 1 minute or until the garlic starts to colour. If the lentils aren't cooked, set aside.
5. When the lentils are perfectly cooked, mix in half the ham mixture and stir in the mustard. Re-heat the rest if necessary.
6. Serve on fresh lettuce leaves with the remaining, re-heated ham mixture served on top and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Testing - Lettuce Soup

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/lettuce-soup-231995
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-lettuce-soup

1 - I like recipes that help me use ingredients that are fragile and go off quickly. At the bottom of my refrigerator crisper drawer I often find lettuces that have turned into smelly, brown watery bags of putrification. Not yummy. And wasteful. The lettuce I had wasn't enough for a whole soup, so I got some greens out of the garden to supplement. I chose a lovely ruby frills mustard that was doing well in this West Coast winter. And I learned a lot. The mustard and lettuce was fine, but the mustard was too strong, leaving an aftertaste we couldn't quite identify as being tasty or unpleasant. We figure that there was too much mustard, and other greens, such as beet tops or chard, would help balance the flavours.
2 - The unpleasant aftertaste may have been the lettuce. This time I only used lettuce and the was a bitterness and the leaf was tough. Admittedly I used old lettuce about to flower, hoping it would be good enought to use. Softening the soup with either tender young lettuce or cutting it with young arugula and/or chard or beet tops might improve it.

1 leek (6oz/170g) chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup diced (1/3 inch) peeled potato
8 cups coarsely chopped lettuce leaves including ribs (3/4 lb) (1/3 lettuce, 1/3 mustard greens, 1/3 chard or beet tops)
1/2 cup light cream
3 cups chicken stock

1. Cook the leek and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring, until softened. 
2. Add the coriander, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, for about a minute. 
3. Stir in the lettuce and and the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.
4. Purée and transfer to a saucepan. Bring it again to a simmer, stir in the cream, then whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.