French White Bean And Cabbage Soup Recipes

SMOCKED HAM HOCK BEAN CABBAGE SOUP (GARBURE)

Steps:

• The day before, add the dried beans to a bowl and cover with water. Let soak overnight, or at least 12 hours.
• Make the broth - poke the cloves into the whole peeled onion. Add the onion, celeri branch, bay leaves, thyme and ham hock into a large pot over high-medium heat. Add about 4.5 litres (18cups) of water or enough to cover the ham hock. Bring the water to a bowl, lower the temperature to low and simmer for 1 hour, covered.
• In a large frying pan, melt the duck fat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, turnips and leek. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the leek is translucent (but not caramelized yet).
• After the one hour, add the vegetables and drained beans to the broth. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for one hour, covered.
• In the meantime, blanch the cabbage - heat up a medium pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 3 minutes until the leaves slightly soften. They should keep their vibrant color. Immediately transfer the cabbage to a colander and pass under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to drain.
• After the one hour, add the blanched cabbage to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes, covered. Add the potatoes to the soup and simmer for 30 more minutes, covered.
• Remove the ham hock from the pot and transfer it onto a cutting board. Discard off the skin and excess fat and shred the meat with a fork; at this point the meat should fall off the bones easily. Return the shredded meat to the pot. Remove the clove-spiked onion, celeri and herbs from the pot. Discard the cloves and herbs, chop up the onion and celeri and place them back in the soup.
• Cook for 15 more minutes with no lid and adjust seasoning if needed. To test the thickness of the soup, stick a soup ladle in the pot: if it stands upright on its own, it's ready. It not, continue simmering the soup until it thickens more.
• Serve in individual bowls with a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes and big slices of bread on the side.

FRENCH WHITE BEAN AND CABBAGE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add in the onion, carrot, and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes or until softened.
• Transfer the cooked vegetables into a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Add in the cabbage, potato, beans, stock, and thyme; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
• Just before serving, stir in the liquid smoke (if using), and parsley; taste to adjust seasonings.

CABBAGE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches at room temperature at least 8 hours, or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below). Drain in a colander.
• Stick clove into onion. Bring ham hocks and 3 quarts water to a boil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot, skimming off any froth, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add beans, onion, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and garlic and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
• When beans are almost done, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add potatoes and cabbage to beans, then simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove ham hocks. When ham hocks are cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones, then cut meat into bite-size pieces. Stir into soup with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaf and onion.
• Spread butter on both sides of bread, then toast in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until golden, about 2 minutes total.
• Serve soup with toasts.