Garbure

Garbure is a hearty one-pot meal that hails from the southwest of France. This comforting soup combines slowly cooked vegetables with the rich flavors of pork and duck confit. Best prepared the day before and reheated, it’s a true taste of French countryside cuisine that warms both the heart and the soul.

SERVES 4–6
PREP 40 MIN
COOK 1 HR
FREEZE UP TO 3 MONTHS

INGREDIENTS:

• 3½oz (100g) diced bacon or pancetta
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 leg confit of duck
• 1½ quarts (1½ liters) chicken stock
• 1 small Savoy cabbage, core removed and leaves cut into 1 x 3in (2.5 x 7.5cm) strips
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
• 1 large starchy potato, cubed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp pimentón picante or hot smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 2–3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2–3 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley to garnish
• 9oz (250g) canned white beans, drained, rinsed, and drained again
• 8–12 croûtes, rubbed with garlic and brushed with olive oil, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the Bacon: Start by placing a large, deep, heavy-based soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced bacon or pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes or until it becomes crisp and cooked through. Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels.
2. Sauté Onion and Garlic: In the same pot, add the finely chopped Spanish onion and crushed garlic. Reduce the heat slightly and cook, stirring frequently, for 5–8 minutes or until they become softened.
3. Prepare the Duck: Pick the meat from the duck leg, discarding the skin and bones but reserving the fat. Cut the duck meat into shreds. Stir the shredded duck meat into the onion and garlic mixture.
4. Simmer the Soup: Add the chicken stock, strips of Savoy cabbage, sliced carrot, diced celery, sliced leek, and cubed potato to the pot. Season the mixture lightly with salt and more generously with freshly ground black pepper. Add the pimentón or hot smoked paprika, ground cumin, thyme sprigs, and flat-leaf parsley sprigs. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover it, reduce the heat slightly, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
5. Mash the Beans: Remove the thyme and parsley sprigs from the soup. Lightly mash the white beans in a bowl, then stir them into the soup. Continue cooking until the vegetables become tender. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed.
6. Serve the Garbure: Stir in the reserved bacon or pancetta along with 1 tbsp of the duck fat, then sprinkle the soup with finely chopped parsley. Place a garlic-rubbed and olive oil-brushed croûte in each bowl and ladle the piping hot soup on top.

Garbure is a soul-warming, robust, and satisfying dish that embodies the essence of French countryside cuisine. Enjoy the comforting flavors of vegetables, pork, and duck confit in every spoonful of this delightful soup.