French Cabbage and Bean Soup
A hearty cabbage and bean soup with a robust ham flavor and potatoes, traditionally served in the Gascogne region during autumn and winter.
Ingredients
- 150 g dried white beans
- 1 large onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves of mace
- 1 Garlic clove
- 4 sprigs marjoram
- 1 ham bone (or alternatively 1 slice smoked bacon)
- 600 g white cabbage
- 400 g waxy potatoes
- Salt
- Pepper
- 4 slices crusty bread
Instructions
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1.
Soak the beans for 12 hours or overnight in cold water.
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2.
On the next day, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a pot.
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3.
Peel the onion. Pinch the bay leaf with the mace onto the onion and add to the beans.
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4.
Add the peeled garlic to the pot. Wash and shake dry the marjoram, then add it along with the ham bone. Pour 3 liters of water over the mixture.
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5.
Bring to a boil, skim off the rising foam with a ladle, reduce heat to medium, and simmer the soup for 60 minutes.
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6.
Meanwhile, wash, trim, quarter the cabbage, remove the core, and cut into strips about 1 cm wide across the ribs.
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7.
Wash the potatoes, peel them with a vegetable peeler, and cut into cubes roughly 2 cm in size.
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8.
After 60 minutes, remove the bone. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the soup and simmer for another 20 minutes.
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9.
Remove the onion and garlic from the soup. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Distribute the bread slices on four deep plates. Pour the soup over the bread, add a generous amount of pepper, and serve.
