Both Harissa with its characteristic heat and the lemony-flavoured Sumac are available at Persian food markets. Like many of the other recipes, the Lentil Ragout, this time well-endowed with Chorizo and kale, could easily stand on its own
The Fish:
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sumac
- 1 Tbsp Harissa chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup red lentils, toasted and ground
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 4 large pickerel fillets
- olive oil for frying
Blend garlic powder, sumac, Harissa chili powder and salt together. Season the fish and coat with a mixture of lentil and all purpose flour. Set aside.
Green Lentil Ragout:
- 1 cup green lentils, cooked until tender (add 2 tbsp salt 10 min before cooking is done)
- 2 large shallots, julienned
- 3 cloves garlic, slivered
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Chorizo (smoky and spicy Portuguese or Spanish), quartered and diced
- ½ bunch kale, washed and rough chopped
- 2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
- ½ tsp smoked hot paprika
- ¼ tsp chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Additional olive oil, as needed
Sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil. Add chorizo, smoked hot paprika, chili flakes.
Add lentils and chicken stock, simmer for 5 minutes.
At this point start cooking the pickerel (about 3 to 4 min per side).
Add kale and sherry vinegar and then parsley, season and spoon onto warm serving bowls. Place a fillet of pickerel on top of each bowl of lentils. Drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil.
Serves four.
