Feist’s “One Evening” tastes like...

Harissa braised black lentils and forbidden rice, with butter shrimp and cilantro green Thai chili sauce

I’ve revisited Feist’s “Inside And Out” in the new year and was immediately pulled back into this longtime favorite. It's a sort-of romantic, and juuuust shy of melodramatic kind of album...in a good way. I think that makes it charming, actually—I love the drama. Let It Die features a few covers including one of the Bee Gee’s “Love You Inside Out”. Feist tones down a bit of the funkiness of the original in favor of clearer drums and synthesized piano riffs. I appreciate her playful renditions of 70s disco-funk and early 2000s piano ballads, but I much prefer her impassioned originals.  

“One Evening” is a brilliant song— her smooth, low vocals, and jazzy guitar really support otherwise unpoetic lyrics. Each instrument feels discrete but the song isn’t cacophonous and all over the place. I thought balancing sweet (to match the lyrics and tone of the song) and bright flavors (playing off of the high-pitched, whirly synths she throws in at the end) would mirror the energy of the song.  The base (bass… lol) of the meal is harissa braised black lentil and forbidden black rice. That’s topped off with a straightforward salt and pepper cast-iron butter shrimp and citrusy cilantro and green Thai chili sauce. 

If you haven’t listened to Let It Die yet, and alternative french-inspired jazz-pop sounds like maybe your kind of thing, I recommend it. Also, check out some of her live performances—One Evening begins at 19:30, Inside And Out at 28:40, and the titular Let It Die at 50:10. 

This recipe serves 3 

Ingredients 

Harissa lentils and black rice

• 1 cup black lentils (or brown, or green lentils but not red split!)

• 3/4 cup black forbidden rice 

• 1 medium king oyster chopped 

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 1 medium carrot

• 3 cloves of garlic 

• 2.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tsp harissa paste 

• 2 tsp kosher salt 

• 1/2 tsp celery seed

• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

Cilantro and green chili sauce

• 3-5 green Thai chilis 

• 1/2 medium shallot

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 1 large handful of basil

• Half of a bunch of cilantro 

• 5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

• The juice of 1/2 a lime

• Splash rice wine vinegar 

• Dash of salt

Shrimp

• 6 colossal shrimp (or 8 jumbo shrimp, 10 large shrimp, and so on)

• 2 tbsp butter 

• Sprinkle of kosher salt to taste

• Cracked black pepper

• Red chili flake 

Preparation: 

Lentils and rice

1. Mince garlic, dice onions, carrots, and mushrooms. In a cast dutch oven or medium-sized pot add 2.5 tbsp olive oil and warm on medium heat. Add onion, carrots and mushroom first. Sautee for a few minutes, until mushrooms and onions begin to soften. Season with 1 tsp salt, a few cracks of black pepper, 1/2 tsp celery seed, parsley, and thyme. 

2. Add garlic and stir to combine. *Note: be mindful to not overcook your garlic! Different stovetops have different power levels... my burners have intense flames and while I adjust the heat settings in these recipes, it is still important to keep a watchful eye on your food and adjust heat as needed*

3. Rinse black lentils and add to pot. Then add 2 tsp of harissa paste and another few cracks of black pepper. Stir to combine harissa. Pour 1 cup of water into the pot and  cook lentils for 15 minutes on medium-low stirring every few minutes

4. After 15 minutes add 3/4 cup rinsed black rice and 1tsp kosher salt

5. Cook lentils and rice together for another 30 minutes on medium-low, adding 2 1/2 cups water in 1/2 cup increments as the rice and lentils absorb the cooking liquid. This way you can control the texture of your lentils and rice. You will need about 3.5 cups total (1 cup lentils: 2 cups water, 3/4 cup black rice: 1 1/2 cups water) 

6. 30 minutes after adding your rice, taste the mixture for tenderness and flavor. Adjust seasoning to taste. If you prefer your rice and lentils with more bite you can stop cooking 35 minutes after you added rice. If you want softer lentils and rice, I recommend cooking the mixture for an additional 8-10 minutes, stirring often, and checking for desired tenderness

7. After lentils and rice are cooked to your liking, set aside and prepare shrimp and cilantro sauce

Cilantro sauce

1. In a food processor or using the pulse setting on your blender, add shallot, Thai green chilis, basil, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, a splash of rice vinegar or water, and a sprinkle of salt. Process until everything is well blended. Add more olive oil or herbs as desired

Shrimp

1. Peel and devein the shrimp (if it isn’t already) pat dry and sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper

2. Add 2 tbsp butter into a cast iron pan and let it melt on medium heat. Once melted and frothy bubbles appear, add the shrimp and a pinch of red chili flakes

3. The size of your shrimp will determine the cooking time. They are a delicate protein and can become rubbery easily. The colossal shrimp I used cooked in about 2-3 minutes on each side using medium-high heat

Photos:

Serve shrimp on top of black lentils and rice, with the cilantro sauce, some torn cilantro leaves, and green Thai chilis.