Brown Lentils - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
4 garlic cloves (sliced)
1 carrot (small dice)
2 celery ribs (small dice)
1 -2 shallot (fine dice)
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
1 -2 teaspoon cumin
cayenne (to taste)
1 -2 cup vegetable stock (or chicken)
1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
salt and pepper

Preparation

Rinse lentils and then par-boil them with water to cover and a good sprinklng of salt (simmer hard about 25 minutes). Drain.
Meanwhile, in a braising pan, saute vegetables and garlic in the olive oil (cooking bacon first if using it) for 5 minutes.
Stir in dried herbs and spices and 1 cup of stock. Bring to a simmer.
Add the lentils to the vegetables and stock, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils are cooked, (10-20 minutes more) adding more stock as needed.
Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with fresh squeezed lemon juice and parsley (I chose these because I serve the lentils with fish most often).