GARBURE (Cabbage and Salt Pork Soup)

This is more or less a rustic soup, but is very delicious. Every district in France has a slightly different version of it, and the one I give hails from Gascony.

Ingredients :

• 1 cabbage
• 1 lb. of salt pork
• 1/2 pint of kidney beans, previous soaked
• 3 or 4 large potatoes
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large turnip
• 1 or 2 leeks
• 2 onions
• 1 clove of garlic (Optional)
• a sprig of thyme
• salt
• pepper

Method :

1. Blanch the cabbage, and quarter it.
2. put it in a saucepan with the kidney beans, previously soaked, the potatoes, peeled and halved, the sliced carrots, turnip, leeks, onions, garlic, and cover with cold water.
3. Season highly with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Then add the pork, and simmer for another hour, or till the pork is quite tender.
6. Put in each soup plate a slice of bread, previously fried in a little butter to a golden color, and pour the puree of vegetables over it.
7. The pork is usually served seperately.

This is more or less a rustic soup, but is very delicious. Every district in France has a slightly different version of it, and the one I give hails from Gascony.

Ingredients :

• 1 cabbage
• 1 lb. of salt pork
• 1/2 pint of kidney beans, previous soaked
• 3 or 4 large potatoes
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large turnip
• 1 or 2 leeks
• 2 onions
• 1 clove of garlic (Optional)
• a sprig of thyme
• salt
• pepper

Method :

1. Blanch the cabbage, and quarter it.
2. put it in a saucepan with the kidney beans, previously soaked, the potatoes, peeled and halved, the sliced carrots, turnip, leeks, onions, garlic, and cover with cold water.
3. Season highly with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours.
5. Then add the pork, and simmer for another hour, or till the pork is quite tender.
6. Put in each soup plate a slice of bread, previously fried in a little butter to a golden color, and pour the puree of vegetables over it.
7. The pork is usually served seperately.