Garbure (French Ham and Vegetable Stew)

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The key to the rich flavor of this peasant soup is the smoked ham hock. Be sure to purchase a meaty cross-cut hock (which looks like an osso buco-cut shank); other hocks offer little meat. Or look for a smoked pork shank. The soup-stew is so thick with beans, leeks, root vegetables, and cabbage that you can almost eat it with a fork. And it's the type of dish that gets better with each successive reheating.

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  • 6

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces dried cannellini or Great Northern beans
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4 cups no-salt-added chicken stock
  • 1/2 tsp dried herbes de Provence
  • 1 cross-cut smoked ham hock (about 8 ounces)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 ounces red potatoes, cubed
  • 6 ounces turnip, cubed
  • 1 large carrot, cubed
  • 4 cups thinly sliced Savoy cabbage
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 slices country bread, toasted
  • 1 garlic clove, halved
  • 1 Tbsp butter, softened

Preparation

Step 1

1. Sort and wash beans. Place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans. Cover and let stand for 8 hours or overnight. Drain.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add onion. Cover and cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add leek and chopped garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add soaked beans, stock, herbes de Provence, ham hocks, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are just tender. Remove ham hock; cool slightly. Pick meat from bones; reserve meat. Discard bones and fat.

3. Add potatoes, turnip, and carrot to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in cabbage; simmer 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme, vinegar, salt, and black pepper.

4. Rub toast slices with cut sides of garlic clove; spread evenly with butter serve toast with soup.

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