This recipe was something I found during my first few months of working at Maple Wind Farm, way way back in 2019. Oh how long ago that seems! I was new to the pasture raised meat world, and I was working farmers markets with Beth. Yeah, I ate meat, but I knew nothing about the different cuts or how to prepare them, let alone how to sell them. I have a strong background in retail but I needed to know more about how to prepare different cuts from different species. Not sure why I chose to start with a pork hock, but I did. In hindsight, I could have chosen something a little bit easier to prepare or more universally loved. If I had, I would never have discovered this gem of a recipe. I will put the link to the original article at the very bottom, but it's one of those “sign in to read this article” which is very annoying and I do not want to put that on any of you. So just in case you decide not to deal with the link here are a few quotes from the article that I found insightful or funny.
“When cooking a pot of garbure, your ladle is your timer. Stick the ladle in the middle of the pot, and if it can stand upright on its own, the soup is ready.” This quote is the epitome of old school cooking. I can hear my Memere saying something like that, she was the queen of soups. I often find myself reading whatever recipe I am working on over and over and over. Like I am studying how to create a delicious piece of art, which does not make sense. This is one of those recipes that I have made over and over and it has helped me become more intuitive when cooking.
This gets me thinking about some other ways that cooking builds community. We should be connected to our ingredients in more ways than just cutting them, cooking them and eating them. We should know where they came from. Who’s hands plucked them from the ground or the field. Who cleaned them and packed them in a convenient package for you. Who brought them to the store for you to buy or even directly to your doorstep. Well, in the case of meat from Maple Wind Farm, you can know all of those things. Come by the farm store, visit us at farmers market or come to an event. You will meet many folks who do all those things and give a big cluck about it.
Garbure (recipe adapted from The Epoch Times: A fortifying soup from the french mountains)
- 8 ounces dried white beans (to be honest, you can use any dried bean, I used pinto last time and it was still delicious. White beans are just known for having a thin skin and creamy texture, which pairs nicely with this soup)
- 2 ½ pound smoked pork hock/shank (from our friends at Rebop farm, available online and in our market!)
- 1 large onion, peeled
- 8-10 cloves
- 1 celery stalk
- 4 bay leaves
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 ½ quarts (18 cups) water
- 4 tablespoons ghee, pork fat, beef tallow or duck fat
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled and cubed
- 1 large turnip, peeled and cubed
- 1 leek, cut in half inch rounds
- ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
- 3-4 potatoes, peeled (optional depending on variety) and cubed
- Red pepper flakes for garnish
The day before…..put the dried beans in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak overnight or for at least 12 hours…
- Make the Broth: Poke the cloves into the whole peeled onion. In a large stockpot add the onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme and ham hock. Set to medium-high heat and add 4 ½ quarts of water or enough to cover the ham hock. Bring to boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- In a large skillet, melt the ghee/fat. Add the garlic, carrots, turnips and leek. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leek is translucent but not caramelized.
- Once the broth has been going for 1 hour, remove 4 cups of the liquid and add the vegetables and drained beans to the stockpot. Season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for another hour.
- Time to blanch the cabbage. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 3 minutes, until slightly softened but still bright in color. Immediately transfer to a colander and run cold water over it to stop the cooking process. Set aside to drain.
- After the broth has finished simmering for another hour, add the blanched cabbage, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer for 30 more minutes.
- Remove the ham hock from the pot and place on a cutting board. The meat should fall off the bones easily at this point. Put shredded meat back into the pot. Cook for about 15 more minutes, uncovered, and adjust seasoning if needed. Test the thickness of the soup by sticking a ladle in the middle of the pot: if it stands upright on its own, it's ready! If not, continue simmering until the soup gets thicker.
- Enjoy!
