Smoked Palette with Lentils - The Ultimate Alsatian Winter Dish

Smoked Palette - Jewel of Alsatian Charcuterie

In Alsace, the charcuterie tradition is one of the richest in France. Smoked hams, country bacon, Strasbourg sausages, knacks - pork products occupy a central place in the regional gastronomy. The smoked palette - also known as smoked shoulder - is one of its finest expressions. This piece of pork taken from the shoulder, salted then smoked over beech wood following Alsatian tradition, develops deep and complex aromas during cooking that fill the entire house. Its initially firm flesh becomes incomparably tender after several hours of simmering - falling apart at the fork, melting and juicy, impregnated with the fragrances of the aromatics and the cooking stock.

Lentils - the Natural Companion of the Palette

While smoked palette can be served with potatoes, sauerkraut or mash, it is with green lentils that it forms its most classic and most flavourful pairing. Lentils - rich in protein, fibre and minerals - absorb the cooking juices of the palette and take on its smoky aromas to produce a dish of remarkable gustatory coherence. Green lentils du Puy or beluga lentils are preferred for their ability to hold their shape during cooking - unlike red lentils, they do not fall apart and retain a beautiful soft texture without becoming a purée.

The Traditional Recipe

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 smoked palette of about 1.2 kg
• 400 g green lentils
• 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
• 2 onions, one studded with 3 cloves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley)
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 20 cl thick crème fraîche
• Salt, freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley to serve

Cooking the Palette

Soak the smoked palette in a large volume of cold water for at least 2 hours, changing the water once. This step is essential to avoid an overly salty dish. Place the palette in a large casserole, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Skim carefully. Add the clove-studded onion, garlic, celery and bouquet garni. Simmer over a low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of the palette. The meat is ready when it falls away easily at the fork.

Cooking the Lentils

Rinse the lentils in cold water without soaking them beforehand. Place in a saucepan with the carrots and the remaining onion and cover with the filtered cooking stock from the palette. Bring to the boil and cook over a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are tender but still whole. At the end of cooking, stir in the wholegrain mustard and crème fraîche, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Plating and Serving

Remove the palette from its stock, partially debone or present whole according to preference. Serve the sliced palette on a bed of creamy lentils, scattered with chopped parsley. The whole dish can also be presented in the casserole at the centre of the table for a convivial service. Wholegrain mustard and Alsatian gherkins on the side complete the picture perfectly.

Variations and Tips

• Beer version: replace part of the stock with 33 cl of Alsatian lager for lentils with malty, slightly bitter notes - a very popular version in winstubs
• Sausage version: add Strasbourg sausages or knacks in the last 15 minutes of cooking for an even more generous dish
• Vinaigrette version: serve the lentils warm dressed with a shallot and mustard vinaigrette, with cold sliced palette - a refreshing summer variation
• Stock tip: never salt the palette cooking stock - the smoked meat already contributes a great deal of salt and the stock will be used to cook the lentils

Wine Pairings

Smoked palette with lentils is a rustic and generous dish that calls for wines of character. In white, an Alsatian Pinot Gris with its roundness and slight sweetness perfectly balances the smoky notes of the meat. A dry, mineral Riesling brings the freshness needed to counterbalance the richness of the dish. In red - a less classic but very successful pairing - a light, fruity Alsatian Pinot Noir accompanies the palette harmoniously without overpowering the lentils. A well-chilled Alsatian lager remains the most popular and convivial pairing.

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A Dish for Sharing and for the Season

Smoked palette with lentils is above all a sharing dish, made for large winter gatherings. It is easily prepared in advance - reheated the next day, it is often even better as the flavours have had time to develop and meld. It is also an economical and nourishing dish, perfect for Sunday family lunches or weeknight dinners with friends. Presented in a beautiful ceramic casserole at the centre of the table, with country bread and a good bottle, it perfectly embodies the generous and convivial spirit of Alsatian cuisine.

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