2 cups of washed lentils ( I used a 1 1b. bag )
6 cups water
2 1/2 to 3 lbs. meat cut into serving chunks: homemade or Italian or Polish sausages and /or pork shoulder butt, ham, country spareribs, or lamb shoulder. ( I used a combination of sausages )
About 2/3 cup mirepoix (1/2 cup each finely diced carrot, onion, and celery cooked until tender in 3 Tbs butter or oil), in a medium saucepan
3 Tb butter
1/2 cup red or white wine ( I used red )
1 1/2 cups ham stock or beef broth ( I used beef broth )
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp thyme or oregano
Salt and pepper
3 Tb minced shallots or scallions
3 Tb minced parsley
1/4 cup fresh white bread crumbs ( I used Panko crumbs )
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the washed lentils in a 3 quart saucepan, and add the water and bring to just below the simmer. Maintain at just below the simmer for 30 minutes, adding a little boiling water if necessary, until lentils are barely tender. Meanwhile, dry the chunks of meat in paper towels, spread in a roasting pan, and brown in the upper middle level of preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the meat and basting occasionally with accumulated fat and juices in the pan. Prepare the mirepoix also, and when done, blend in the flour, cook slowly, stirring, for 2 minutes, and remove from heat; beat in the wine, then the stock and simmer 5 minutes, add the herbs to this sauce, and correct seasonings.
Choose a baking dish such as a 9" by 12" oval 2" deep, and butter it lightly. Fold the lentils and sauce together, and spread in the baking dish. Arrange the browned meat on top, pushing the pieces into the lentils. Pour fat from roasting pan into a small bowl, and deglaze pan with a little wine or broth (pour in the liquid, set over heat, and scrape coagulated meat juices into liquid with a wooden spoon, boiling rapidly until liquid is syrupy); pour over the meat. Season meat lightly with salt and pepper; sprinkle the shallots or scallions, parsley, and bread crumbs over all. Baste with 2 spoonfuls of fat reserved from the roasting pan.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for about 40 minutes until sauce is thick and bubbling hot, and crumbs are nicely browned.