I start the year with a plateful of lentils for good luck. It’s an Italian tradition that usually involves cooking the lentils with a hunk of pork in the form of a cotechino, a large pork sausage made with the cotiche or pig skin and shaped like a pig’s foot. I prefer to go lighter, tart and a bit crunchy. Much holiday food is rich, savory and served hot to combat the cooler temperatures outside. So a plate of tender (not soft) little lentils tossed with crunchy vegetables and dressed in a mustardy shallot vinaigrette is a welcome addition to the post holiday table. It’s also a good reminder of how...Continue reading »