1. Rinse the lentils under cold running water after putting them in a strainer and picking through them, eliminating any particles of stone that may have escaped the packers.
2. In a medium saucepan, pour in the rinsed lentils, pour cold water over them, bring the water to a boil, allow to cook for 2 minutes; then pour the lentils onto a filter. Drain properly, then rinse the lentils, as well as the pot.
3. Stir the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bay leaf into the pan after pressing the clove into the onion.
4. Allow the water or broth to reach a boil, do this after stirring in the lentils. Reduce to low heat and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, or till the lentils become practically soft. Skim off any sediments that come to the surface of the cooking liquid as the lentils simmer and stir them if necessary.
5. Add salt and pepper to season, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Afterward, add the Cognac if you’re using it in your recipe. Stir everything together well and cook for another minute over high heat.
6. Drain them and save the cooking liquid if you wish to reheat the lentils later. Take out the vegetables and discard them whole, or you could opt to toss the bay leaf and clove away and finely chop the soft but appetizing vegetables. Return the vegetables to the lentils and mix well. Stir in the shallot now if you’re using it (you’ll find that it introduces a lot to the cooking mixture).
7. The lentils can now be served, or they can be kept away and warmed over low heat using the liquid you’ve saved, or they can be used in other meals.
8. The lentils and their cooking liquid can be packaged tightly and kept cold for up to 3 days once cooled. Warm over low heat in a covered saucepan.

This recipe for French lentils is easy to achieve. Just make sure to follow the cooking instructions accordingly. If you’d like more recipe ideas for French lentils, we recommend that you see this video recipe for some inspiration.