Peppery French green lentils hold their shape well but take longer to cook than the brown variety. The nutty flavour of wild rice makes this dish an all-season favourite.
4-1/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 cup wild rice
2 whole cloves
1/2 onion, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled, halved crosswise
1 celery stalk, halved crosswise
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4 oz. 1/4"-thick pancetta, sliced into 1/4" cubes
1/2 cup dried French green lentils
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Step 1: Bring 2-1/2 cups water and 1 tsp salt to boil in a medium pot. Add rice and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 40-45 minutes. Drain and return rice to pot.
Step 2: Insert cloves into onion. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; sauté until mixture begins to brown, about 10-12 minutes. Add pancetta and sauté until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and stir for about 1 minute. Add remaining 1-3/4 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt and bay leaf; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35-40 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from heat (most of the liquid will have been absorbed by rice). Discard onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf. Stir rice into lentil mixture.
Step 4: Simmer rice and lentil mixture uncovered over medium heat until heated through and liquid is completely absorbed, about 6 minutes. Add parsley and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
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