NEW YORK, Apr 9 — The king of haute seafood, Chef Eric Ripert of the triple Michelin-starred restaurant Le Bernardin in New York has shared a simple dinner idea that makes salmon the star of the show.

It’s a classic French family dinner: pan-roasted salmon sitting on a bed of lentils.

The secret to pimping out plain old lentils? Sautéed lardons (diced or cut-up bacon).

If you don’t have access to fresh salmon, the lentils can serve as a standalone meal, Ripert suggests.

"You can cook the lentils and eat them on their own or w[ith] another fish, meat etc.,” he wrote.

Take out the bacon and the lentil recipe becomes vegetarian.

Recipe:

• Sautée a few lardons with a bit of oil, one diced carrot, five garlic cloves and one small onion for 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Add 1 pound of lentils and 2 quarts water (chicken stock optional).
• Simmer for around 30 minutes or until lentils become soft with a bit of liquid left for moisture.
• Season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides and fry in hot, non-stick pan with vegetable oil on medium heat until colored (around 2 minutes)
• Turn the salmon to the other side for 2 more minutes for medium rare.
• Plate the lentils, add a bit of broth and top with the salmon. — AFP-Relaxnews