Puy Lentil and Cabbage Salad (Cooking with Beans, Grains and Pulses by Nicola Graimes)

1 c puy lentils
(puy lentils are darker than brown lentils and retain their shape and texture better than your ordinary brown lentil. They are also more expensive and found at whole foods type markets. This isn't a fancy dish so you decide which to use).
6 1/4 c water
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, peeled and studded with 2 cloves

Rinse the lentils in cold water and place them in a pan with water and 1 garlic clove, the bay leaf and the clove studded onion. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Drain and discard the onion, garlic and bay leaf.
(OK, here's what I did: I thought, what a waste of an onion, and a garlic. So I put in some dried onion and garlic. (no clove studding) When I drained the lentils I tried to retain the garlic and onion bits. I thought it tasted just fine).

1 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 TBS fresh thyme leaves (1/2 to 1/3 as much dried)
12 oz cabbage, finely shredded
(I used a bag of pre-shredded cabbage- they are usually around this many ounces anyway- that had carrot bits and red cabbage as well. This seems to be the only way I personally get this recipe done. I don't have the patience to shred the cabbage the other way and it does need to be smaller pieces. The first time I tried this recipe I tried with red cabbage and that was a bad idea. It makes it too tough).
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 TBS Raspberry Vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste
(I didn't have exactly these seasonings on hand so I used some raspberry vinaigrette dressing that was in the fridge as well as a little more olive oil drizzled in and some red wine vinegar. The first time through I thought it was too dry and so made mine a little more juicy).

Crush the garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the red onion , garlic and thyme and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. (The cookbook doesn't say what temperature. I think I have been doing mine a bit high because I've been scorching the pans). Add the cabbage and cook another 3-5 minutes, until just cooked but still crunchy. Stir in the cooked lentils, lemon rind and juice and the raspberry vinegar. Season to taste and serve warm. (The next day, cool, it is still just as tasty. This is a big batch, (serves 4-6 and is very filling) you might want to half it.