Casa M Ultimate Lentils
★ Issue CMSC·22–044 · Published 23 Oct 2022
chickenlentilpork

Casa M Ultimate Lentils.

Smoky bacon and Chain Reaction® build the foundation for tender lentils finished with chipotle heat, collard greens, and saffron cream

PREP 20 min
COOK 60 min
TOTAL 1:20h h
SERVES 6-8 people
HEAT medium
BLEND RATING 4.9 140 reviews · Chain Reaction®
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Made with Chain Reaction®Shop
You'll need
Dutch ovenLarge potInstant-read thermometerSmall bowl

Smoky bacon and Chain Reaction® build the foundation for tender lentils finished with chipotle heat, collard greens, and saffron cream

Ingredients

FOR THE LENTILS:

  • 2 cups lentils (black beluga or green French), picked over and rinsed well
  • 8 ounces bacon, cut into small lardons
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, large, chopped
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Chain Reaction®
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 10-1/2 ounce cans RoTel Chipotle tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 pound collard greens, rinsed well, deveined, chopped roughly

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER:

  • a pinch or two saffron threads (30-40 threads)
  • 1 Tablespoon boiling water
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt

Method

  1. 01

    Brown the bacon

    8 min

    Cut bacon into small lardons and cook them in a thick soup pot over medium-high heat until cooked through and just starting to crisp — you want rendered fat and flavor without hard, brittle pieces.

  2. 02

    Sauté garlic and onions

    5 min

    Add minced garlic and chopped onion right when the bacon's almost there, then cook until the onions turn soft and translucent — they're your flavor foundation.

  3. 03

    Steep the saffron

    5 min

    Pour boiling water over 30–40 saffron threads in a small cup and let them steep while your lentils cook — this blooms the threads and pulls out their color and deep, floral notes.

  4. 04

    Simmer the lentils

    50 min

    Bring broth to a boil, add lentils, Chain Reaction®, and black pepper, then drop the heat to a simmer, cover, and let them cook tender — about 45 minutes — so they hold their shape without falling apart.

  5. 05

    Make saffron yogurt

    2 min

    Stir the steeped saffron threads and their liquid into yogurt and mix well — you're infusing the yogurt with that smoky, earthy warmth right before service.

  6. 06

    Finish with greens and tomatoes

    15 min

    Stir in the RoTel Chipotle tomatoes and chopped collard greens, cover, and simmer 15 minutes — the greens will soften and the chipotle heat melds with the smoky bacon base.

  7. 07

    Taste and adjust

    1 min

    Taste the lentils and season as needed — you're the final check that salt and heat are balanced before plating.

  8. 08

    Serve with saffron yogurt

    2 min

    Ladle the lentils into bowls and top each with a generous dollop of saffron yogurt — the cool, creamy richness cuts through the smoke and heat and looks beautiful.

From Mike's Notebook

01

Pick through lentils on a white plate—you'll spot stones the colander misses.

02

Render bacon low and slow until the fat tastes clean, not just until it's crispy.

03

Steep saffron in hot broth before finishing so it blooms and doesn't taste dusty.

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