Garbure gasconne is a thick southwestern French peasant soup of ham hock, cabbage, white beans, potatoes and root vegetables, finished with confit duck and served over toast.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
The garbure is one of the canonical Gascon dishes, traditionally a winter farmer's meal in the Bearn and Gers regions, served from a single large clay pot at the family table. The classic recipe runs to two days of preparation: white tarbais beans soaked overnight, ham hock simmered with cabbage and root vegetables, then finished on the second day with confit duck leg and toasted slabs of country bread (the goudales). The Bordeaux versions usually include confit duck leg, white tarbais beans and Bayonne ham hock. Le Petit Gascon and La Tupina serve it through the cold months, with the dish ladled into deep bowls over toast and topped with a glass of red wine in the local goudale tradition.
Common allergens: None
Tip from the editors. The soup is better the next day; make it ahead and reheat gently.
La Tupina in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre district is the southwestern French institution founded by Jean-Pierre Xiradakis in 1968, now led by chef Franck Audu.
Signature: Entrecote a la bordelaise, Tricandilles, Sanguette
Tip: Sit near the open fire for the tricandilles; the lunch formula is a serious value if you book ahead for noon on a weekday.
Cafe Tupina in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the all-day, cheaper sister to La Tupina around the corner on Rue Porte de la Monnaie, with the same Xiradakis.
Signature: Magret de canard, Cassoulet, Plat du jour
Tip: Lunch is the value play; the plat du jour is roughly half what the main Tupina dining room charges and arrives on the table fast.
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