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1
Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the pancetta on medium high heat until crisp. Remove pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
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2
Lower the heat to medium, and in the same skillet, add the onions, carrots and fennel, and saute them in the drippings until soft and caramelized, 8 - 10 minutes.
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3
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant - 2 minutes
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4
Clear a spot in the center of the skillet, and fry the tomato paste until dark brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes
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5
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until nearly dry.
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6
Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, sage, salt and pepper and stir well to combine.
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7
Add the lentils, bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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8
Remove lid, and if necessary, continue to simmer until mixture is nearly dry.
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9
Take salad off the heat, add the pancetta and vinegar, and taste for seasoning - add salt and pepper as needed.
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10
Plate and sprinkle liberally with parsley
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11
You can easily add sausage to this dish. Just brown the links in the same pan after cooking the pancetta, remove them from the pan, and then add them back in to braise with the lentils.
