Sausage, sea bass, chocolate cake land on Bon Appetit's list of trends

NEW YORK - The editors of Bon Appetit are offering "a delectable review" of the year 2000 in their survey of the most appealing food trends for the past 12 months.

The top trends the editors identify in their January issue are a lively selection that includes plenty of desserts, cocktail parties and a travel destination:

Restaurant trend of the year: the bistro.

Ingredient of the year: the sausage.

Food trend of the year: meatless main courses.

Dish of the year: sea bass.

Cuisine of the year: Cuban sizzle.

Dessert of the year: molten chocolate cake.

Entertaining trend: cool cocktail parties.

Best kitchen: eclectic.

Destination of the year: Berlin.

Best bread: focaccia.

Some of the trends, such as the profusion of inventive sausages, are not new, but their growth has registered until they’ve taken what seems to be permanent hold.

Expanding on the new popularity of sausages, food writer Michael McLaughlin, a regular contributor to the magazine, gives a fresh treatment to the hearty classic combination of sausage and lentils. McLaughlin uses smoked kielbasa and a tangy mustard and fennel dressing in the following recipe:

Kielbasa and Lentil Salad With Warm Mustard-Fennel Dressing

• 1 pound package dried lentils
• 3 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¡ cup malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound fully cooked smoked kielbasa sausage, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
• 1 large fennel bulb with fronds, bulb and fronds chopped and reserved separately
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 2 heads frisee lettuce or 1 large head curly endive, separated into leaves

Place lentils, carrots and celery in heavy, large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover. Stir in salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer lentil mixture to bowl.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, mustard and sugar in small bowl to blend; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa and saute until brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Cover to keep warm.

Pour off any fat from skillet and discard. Add remaining 1/2 cup oil to skillet; heat over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until golden, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic. Add fennel bulb to skillet and saute until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add green onions and stir 1 minute. Whisk in vinegar mixture and bring to boil. Pour fennel mixture over lentils. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Line large shallow bowl with frisee leaves. Spoon in lentil salad. Arrange kielbasa slices on top of lentils. Sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds and serve.

Makes 6 first-course or 4 main-course servings.

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