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.

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.

Where to eat Garbure gasconne in Bordeaux

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Make it at home

Serves 63 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 1 ham hock with bone
  • 2 confit duck legs
  • 300g dried white tarbais beans, soaked overnight
  • 1 head Savoy cabbage, sliced
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and chunked
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Bouquet garni
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sourdough toast for serving

Method

  1. Cover the ham hock with cold water in a large pot. Bring to a simmer, skim, add the bouquet garni and onion. Simmer 90 minutes.
  2. Add the drained beans and continue to simmer 45 minutes.
  3. Add the cabbage, potatoes, carrots and leeks. Simmer 30 more minutes.
  4. Add the confit duck legs and warm through for 10 minutes.
  5. Adjust seasoning. Place toasted sourdough in soup bowls, ladle the garbure over the top with a confit leg on each.

Editor tip. The soup is better the next day; make it ahead and reheat gently.

Common allergens: None.