Classic Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dried lentils, washed and picked over
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme (several sprigs, or a few pinches of dried)
1 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch dice
6 cups vegetable stock (vegetable stock preferred) or 6 cups water (vegetable stock preferred)
salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Preparation

Add lentils, bay leaf, thyme, carrot, celery, and stock in a saucepan; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then decrease heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes.
Add in garlic and stir, then cook for 1 minute more and turn off heat.
When the lentils are tender, discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and stir the onion mixture into the soup.
Add more stock if the soup is too thick, then taste; adjust the seasoning and serve.