Ingredients

1½ cups dried brown lentils (rinsed)

1 yellow onion chopped

3 carrots cut ¼" thick

3 celery stalks cut ¼ thick

Red chili flakes

1 bay leaf

1 good pinch of D&D Herbs for Meat (or any Herbs de Provence blend)

2-3 cups chicken Stock*

2 cloves garlic peeled and halved

3 tbsp. olive oil (and more dribbled before serving)

1 tbsp. butter**

1-2 cups boiling water

Sea salt

Black pepper

-for vegetarians:

*substitute vegetable stock

** replace with 1 tbsp more olive oil

Preparation

Sauté carrots, garlic, onions and chili flakes for 3-4 min. Add lentils, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boil, and reduce to medium and cook for 10 min covered. Add celery, remove bay leaf, add pinch of Herbs for Meat. Add more boiling water as needed, and simmer on low for 20 min. Check to see if tender and if there is enough water. Continue cooking if necessary for 5 more min. Set aside for 10 min. Serve with additional ground pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil.