Ingredients

• 560g/1½lb bacon joint
• 12 button onions
• 1 tbsp oil
• 450g/1lb puy lentils
• 1 carrot
• halved
• 1 stick celery
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 2 cloves garlic
• crushed
• 1 knob of butter
• 3 hard boiled egg
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

• Put the bacon into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Drain and rinse in cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat the oil in a deep casserole pan and add the bacon and onions. Cook until the onions begin to brown.
• Add the lentils
• carrot
• celery
• herbs and garlic. Cover with water and put on a lid. Cook very slowly for about 2 hours.
• When the lentils are cooked remove the bacon
• herbs and carrot. Strain the lentils.
• Spoon the lentils onto a serving dish and stir in the butter. Slice the bacon and place around the dish. Garnish with chopped parsley and halved
• hard boiled eggs.