Garbure

Garbure is a traditional hearty soup from the southwest of France, often featuring cabbage, vegetables, beans, and preserved meats like duck confit or ham. It’s rustic, filling, and perfect for cold days. Here’s an authentic recipe:

Serves 4/6

Mise en Place: 30mn

Cooking: 3h

Ingredients:

1 small green cabbage, cored and chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 leek (white and light green parts), cleaned and sliced
1 celery stick
1 onion diced
1 onion, peeled and 4 cloves into it
2 garlic cloves, minced
400gr / 2 cup dried white beans (like Tarbais or cannellini), soaked overnight and drained
1 liter / 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 liter / 4 cups cups water (or more as needed)
4 duck confit legs (or smoked ham hock or a mix of both)
1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, and bay leaf tied together)
2 tbsp duck fat (or olive oil)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crusty bread for serving

Method

Prepare the Ingredients:

Soaked the beans overnight, in cold water, at least 12h. Drain and discard the water.
Rinse the cabbage, chop into chunks, and blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. This reduces bitterness, and makes it easier to digest.
Prepare the other vegetables: slice carrots, dice potatoes, onion, slice leeks and celery.

2. Cook the Beans:

In a large pot, place the soaked and drained beans with the bouquet garni and the whole onions with the gloves, cover with cold water and NO salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid.

3. Sauté the Aromatics:

In the same large pot, heat the duck fat or olive oil over medium heat.
Add the leeks, celery, diced onion and carrots, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes

4. Add the Vegetables and Stock:

Add the cabbage, potatoes, and the cooked beans.
Pour in the stock and enough reserved bean cooking liquid or water to cover everything.

5. Add the Meat:

Nestle the duck confit legs or ham hock into the pot. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 1 to 1.5 hours.
Stir gently occasionally, adding more water if needed to maintain a stew-like consistency.

6. Season and Finish:

Remove the bouquet garni and shred the duck confit meat off the bones if desired, stirring it back into the soup.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

7. Serve:

Ladle the garbure into bowls, ensuring a mix of meat, beans, and vegetables in each serving.
Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.

Chef’s Tips:

Traditional Serving: In some traditions, the liquid portion of the garbure is served as a soup course, followed by the solid ingredients as a second course.
Variations: Add turnips, parsnips, or use smoked sausage or pancetta for different flavors.
Make Ahead: Like many stews, garbure tastes even better the next day, as the flavors meld.

Enjoy this comforting and rustic dish steeped in French culinary tradition!

Salt or No salt when cooking the beans!

Cooking beans without salt during the initial phase is a common practice in traditional cooking, but it's also a topic of some debate. Here’s an explanation of why this approach is often recommended:

1. Avoid Toughening the Beans

Old Belief: It was traditionally thought that salt added early in cooking could toughen the skins of beans, making them harder to soften.
Science Update: Modern research suggests that this is only partially true. While salt doesn’t necessarily make beans tough, it can slow down the softening process slightly if the beans are very old or the water is particularly hard.

2. Even Cooking

Adding salt too early might interfere with the beans’ ability to absorb water uniformly. This could lead to beans that are soft on the outside but undercooked or firm in the center.

3. Flexibility in Flavoring

Cooking beans without salt gives you more control over the final seasoning. Once the beans are fully cooked, salt can be added to taste, along with other flavorings.

Modern Perspective: Why Salt Can Be Okay

Improved Texture: Some cooks and food scientists recommend adding salt to the soaking water or early in cooking because it helps the beans retain their shape and improves their texture.
Better Flavor: Salting early allows the beans to absorb flavor from the beginning, making them tastier overall.

Conclusion

Cooking beans without salt at the start is a cautious method to ensure tender results, especially with older beans or uncertain water quality. However, adding salt early can enhance flavor and texture, particularly if the beans are fresh. The key is understanding your ingredients and adjusting techniques to suit the desired outcome.