Exciting lentils?

[BadPoet]

I'm doing a Christmas eve ham. There will be 6 of us, and possibly a few people drifting in and out. I am going to serve it with puy lentils (which gets round the fact that 2 of the 6 will almost definitely turn noses up at ham but will happily eat lentils) - any ideas for jazzing them up a bit? Otherwise I'd do them as I would in a sausage lentil casserole - carrot, celery, onion, bit of wine, stock, tomato puree & lentils. I'm boiling the ham in cider and glazing with a mixture of apricot jam & curry powder (colleague's recipe) - what could I bung in the lentils to 'match'? Don't want coriander really...

Any ideas?

Just thought myself, could use a bit of apple cider vinegar and cinnamon or ginger in the lentils - hmmm.

Exciting lentils? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Sesame oil, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce works well.

I'd give them a mildly indian 'dahl' treatment.... sizzle some cumin, fenugreek and mustard seeds in an oil/butter mixture first. Add some finely chopped onion, garlic & a little ginger and chilli to the oil, then add the lentils, a chopped tomato and enough water to cover. Cook until the lentils are tender, season with salt and pepper and stir in some fresh chopped coriander at the end.

Maybe, which is why I asked mumsnet! Baked ham & oxymoronic lentils. I might make that a new Christmas eve tradition (and stop bothering with the pjs, which I have been doing for years and is always met with trembling-lipped disappointment from dd).

Thanks tethers .

Also thanks Cogito . That might work better with the slightly curried ham...

I have a recipe for some lovely very spicy chickpeas that I could happily eat without any accompaniments. Don't think the same could be said for puy lentils. Although I could eat dahl with flatbreads.

SeasonalGripings - because I said that 2 of the 6 (no veggies btw) would eat them happily? Well, one is my child and I can assure you she will - adores pulses. We all eat puy lentils regularly, I think they are delicious! I don't remember saying there would be no accompaniments, I'll probably do something with red cabbage too.

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar. OMG it is delicious. I used to eat Puty lentils just because they were healthy but since I discovered the oil & vinegar trick I have started eating them out of choice.

Cook Puy lentils. Dress with a garlicky vinaigrette (1/2 walnut oil, half olive)when still warm.
Add very finely shredded red onion and fresh chopped thyme. Top with crumbled fetta and chopped walnuts.