Let's start with cooking the lentils. It is combined with a lot of the ingredients that The Flavor Bible (my personal culinary guide) states go well with lentils. Here are the ingredients:
1/2 lb. green lentils (washed and soaked for about 15 minutes)
2 carrots (small dice)
4 celery ribs (small dice)
leeks (2-inch portion, julienned)
1/2 onion (small dice)
4 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
3 strips applewood/hickory-smoked bacon (optional if you would like to keep the dish strictly vegetarian)
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
Parsley (chopped fine, for garnish)
First, render out the bacon (rough chopped into small squares) in a deep pan on medium heat. If you are vegetarian, use canola/corn oil. Add the onions and leeks and sweat them until tender and fragrant. Next, add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients (carrots, celery and lentils) and cook for another minute, stirring well. Then pour enough broth into the pan, enough to cover the ingredients and bring the heat down to a simmer. We are now cooking the lentils until they become tender. That process should usually take between 20-25 minutes. As the level of the liquid reduces while it is cooking, add more broth as needed. Also, stir and mix the ingredient in the pot every few minutes.
Now, it is time to start plating. Scoop up a ladle of lentils and place them in the middle of the plate and garnish with some parsley. Place the salmon on the bed of lentils and garnish around the plate with more parsley. Squeeze a little lemon juice onto the fish and you are done. Simple, no? Enjoy!