Soupe aux Choux (Main Course Cabbage Soup)
You will love this unpretentious Soupe aux Choux (cabbage soup) because the bacon (or salt pork) gives it an enormous deep flavor and the big chunks of cabbage, turnips, and potatoes allow you to sink your teeth into this soup.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 quarts cold water
- 5 medium potatoes Yukon Golds, peeled, quartered
- 1 1/2 pounds lean bacon or pork
- 1 medium cabbage* cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt coarse kosher
- 8 stalks parsley divided 6 & 2
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 medium onions quartered
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 carrots** washed, peeled, quartered
Optional (but highly recommended)
- 4 medium turnips washed, peeled, quartered
- 3 stalks celery sliced
- 1 can navy beans drained and rinsed
- 1 French baguette cut into rounds and toasted
Instructions
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Put 3 1/2 quarts of water, potatoes, pork (or bacon) into a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Skim off white residue.
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Once the soup is boiling, add the cabbage, crushed peppercorns, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 6 stalks of parsley, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, garlic, onions, cloves, carrots, turnips, and celery. Reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 1 1/2 hours.
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15 minutes before serving add the beans and simmer.
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Taste the soup and add more salt if needed.
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Take out the parsley and bay leaf and throw them away.
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Skim off the fat.
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Ladle into bowls, garnish with 2 stalks of chopped parsley, and serve with toasted rounds of French bread.
Recipe Notes
*If you like a colorful purple soup, use purple cabbage. If you want a clear soup use green cabbage or savoy cabbage.
**Use more carrots (5 or 6) if you like carrots and for a slightly sweeter soup.