Lentille Verte du Puy...oh you fancy huh

As a francophile and a lover of lentils I came across the lentilles du puy in a the bulk bin, did a little research and found that they are a sturdier than regular green or brown lentils and grown in volcanic soil (a little more about these beauties here.)  So I thought they would be perfect to cure my lentils craving.  I normally make a dish called Mujaddara which is an Arab lentil dish served with rice, caramelized onions and Arab salad.  This is one of my favorite dishes to make especially when I'm homesick and miss my Dad's cooking but the lentils and rice can be very heavy.  I decided to make the lentils as I would the Mujaddara but skip the rice and mix in the salad.

What I used:
For Lentils
1 c. lentilles du puy (any other lentils will work but require a little more cooking time)
2 c. water or chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
3 small onions
olive oil

1. Sort and rinse your lentils, make sure there aren't any rocks or debris in it
2. Soak them for about an hour beforehand but if you don't have time to soak just extend your cooking time and water amount
3. Boil 2 cups of water, add lentils and return to boil
4. Add bay leaf, salt and cumin, boil for 10 minutes then cover and turn down the heat to low for 30 minutes

>>Carmelizing Onions
Slice 3 onions and place in a heavy bottom pan with enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Cook on medium high and stir frequently to prevent onions from sticking and drying out.  If you find onions drying out and small amounts of water to deglaze the pan. You'll use these onions to either place on top of the lentils or mix into lentils.

***everyone's methods, tastes and equipment vary so watch your food closely and follow your instincts

For Salad
1 cucumber
4 roma tomatoes
1 bunch of parsley
1/2 fresh jalapeno (optional)
juice of 1 small lemon
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. olive oil

1. Finely chop parsley
2. Cube tomatoes and cucumber
3. Add oil, salt and lemon juice
4. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready