Lentils With Bacon And Mint

• 1 cup Puy lentils (green lentils)
• 3 strips of bacon, diced
• 4 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• ground black pepper to taste

1. Pick over and rinse the lentils. Place them in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, and cover with the water. Add the bayleaf. Bring the lentils to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. When the lentils are cooked, drain them in a colander, reserving about a cupful of the liquid. Discard the bay leaf. Set aside the lentils.
3. Set the saucepan or Dutch oven back over medium heat. When hot, add the bacon. Fry until crispy and brown. (Don't drain the oil). Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is soft. Add the cumin and fry until fragrant.
4. Add the lentils back into the pot and salt and pepper. If the mixture looks dry, stir in some of the reserved liquid. Simmer for another couple minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the mint.

puy lentils, bacon, water, bay leaf, onion, garlic, ground cumin, salt, ground black pepper

Taken from food52.com/recipes/2433-lentils-with-bacon-and-mint (may not work)