I’m sick of pasta and I miss pork.
Plus, I’m still pulling the ‘starving artist’ thing with an addition of new medication which, surprise, requires me to ingest more salt. What to do, what to do?
The paltry pantry holds a small canister of lentils. Yes, lentils. Good for the belly in lean times, as well as a very very reliable source of protein.
Que mas? Spices…pork gravy mix. Ooh. Maltodextrin. Corn starch. Flour. YES. Thickeners.
I put the lentils to cook for 24 minutes as I dice a whole red, wilty pepper and half a large yellow onion. A little EVOO in the pan, throw those guys in there, toss a 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic in as well, salt and pepper for flavor, and let all that cook down until the onion is clear.
Remember I said I was sick of pasta? Well I still had about two cups of traditional pasta sauce left in the fridge, so what did I do? I poured a cup in with the veg. Yes I did! Once the lentils were done, I drained all but two cups out of the pot then slapped all that into the veg pan.
THEN comes the pork gravy mix. But oh! Wait.
I got a pork steak in the fridge too. *victory dance*
Piggy comes out to play, and I carve off the large fat, then cube it and add to the pan. OH fatty fatty goodness!
Oven is set to 400 F, the slab of steak is salted and peppered (cuz that’s all pork fuckin’ needs, folks. I don’t know WHY people insist on over seasoning!) and goes in for 14 minutes.
Just enough time to empty the pork gravy mix in with the lentils and let simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick saucy texture.
Et voila!
Two ladles of beaney goodness along with half a grapefruit and my pork steak. Now that’s good eatin’ for less than five bucks!
FULL RECIPE
2 cups dry lentils
1 large red bell pepper
1 large yellow onion (1/2 if you like the pepper flavor more)
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 packet pork gravy mix (vegetarians? I don’t know what to replace with)
1/4 to 1/2 cup cubed pork fat (omit for vegetarian option)
dash of crushed red peppers (omit if you don’t like the heat….pussy…)
salt and black pepper to taste
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