FCG: Deliberately Untitled 02/07/06

Hi gang! How is everyone? I was looking at a calendar today, and I realized that Fat Tuesday is the last one of this month. I've got to tell you, that's my kind of holiday: you get to do everything you want with absolutely no consequences (well, other than giving it all up at the stroke of midnight, but hey, 40 days later you're back in business). Of course, FT is not officially "sanctioned," but then, I'm not Catholic (school choice notwithstanding), so I get all the celebration with none of the guilt...or something like that.

Business: Congrats to Katie & Family of our group on moving to their new home (clap clap clap clap) deep in the heart of Texas...or at least the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Congrats also to Emily & family of our group on moving to their new home (you could snap or something) deep in the heart of Utah. Big moves both of you: Katie from CA and Emily from PA and each of you with two children. I know I couldn't do it. Anyone else have any news?

The title of this recipe is not going to be given to you until the end of the recipe because if I give it beforehand, you won't even look at this because whoever named it must have been an intern or something. It's one of the least appealing recipe titles I've ever seen (and it's not very descriptive of the actual dish either). Still, I really did like this recipe which surprised me because I'm not a Dijon mustard fan. I did like it okay in this, though. Go figure. The recipe comes from Gourmet (the Jan 2006 issue again, page 122) and is probably worth trying once. Enjoy! - Devon

Deliberately Untitled Recipe:
2 cups French green lentils (13 oz), rinced and picked over (I used regular cheap lentils. The heads at Gourmet say that the French Green ones hold up better and are "prized for their finesse"--I guess as much as one thinks of a lentil as having "finesse.")
6 cups water (I did not measure this exactly and managed to cook my generic lentils just fine, but you go on ahead.)
1 California Bay leaf or 2 Turkish
1 tsp salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about a cup)
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about a cup says the recipe: I say those must be some big carrots)
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice (see above paranthetical comment. How much carrot & celery do you want is the question you have to ask yourself.)
1 TBSP finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP "extra-virgin olive oil"
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
3/4 lb smoked kielbasa or other smoked sausage (not low-fat), cut crosswise into 1/4" thick slices. (No indication what to do with the other 1/4 lb, but personally I just upped the other ingredients a bit and used the whole pound because they don't exactly sell this in 3/4 lb packages)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I left this out) B

ring your lentils, water, and choose-your-nationality bay leaf to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Then stir in 1/2 tsp salt and simmer, covered, for about 3-5 more minutes untilt hey are tender but not falling apart. While those are simmering, cook the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper in the 2 TBSP oil over med heat, stirring occasionally until the veggies are soft. Make a vinaigrette by whisking together vinegar, mustard, remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil and whisk until it's all blended up. (I just dumped it all in and then read the last bit, but I still managed to whisk it together with my handy little fork. It wouldn't be Gourmet without fancy instructions, would it?) Drain your lentils ("in a colander"). Discard bay leaf, and put the lentils in with the vegetables and mix in the vinaigrette. Keep this warm and then, in a completely separate pan, brown your kielbasa and then stir it into your lentil veggie mix. And then sit down and eat a bowl of your nice, "Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage.":)