Happy Halloween and A tribute to Julia

Here's to a Happy Halloween at your house this year! Here's our yearly pumpkin, carved by my talented husband Randy. I bought one of the carveable foam pumpkins this year so I don't have to throw away the masterpiece after it's all over.



So, a few of my sweet and savory online buddies have decided to honor Julia Child today by posting a prepared recipe of hers. I chose a simple but tasty soup from her now classic book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was a matter of ingredients that helped me choose. I had a beautiful head of cabbage that I received in my bi-weekly veggie box and it needed cooking. So I consulted the index and landed upon this recipe. I was intrigued by the name...Garbure. Sounded a little like garbage to me... I don't necessarily think that's where it got its name, but it is, I think, one of those dishes that you just throw in whatever garbage you have available depending on the season and your budget. Initially the soup seems like it will be very thin, but the potatoes and cabbage cook down to the point that they thicken the soup. It's very filling! I think it would make a great meal to have simmering on a Halloween night too.


Soupe Aux Choux - Garbure
described by Julia Child in her Mastering the Art of French Cooking as "a fine and uncomplicated peasant soup....comforting dish for a cold winter day."

3 1/2 quarts water
3-4 cups peeled, quartered boiling potatoes
1 1/2 lb chunk of lean salt pork, lean bacon or smoked ham (I used a hunk of ham and some bacon to add flavor)
2lbs or 3 qts of roughly sliced cabbage
8 crushed peppercorns or a big pinch of ground chili peppers
Salt as necessary, added near the end
6 parsley sprigs tied with a bay leaf (I used dried parsley since I had no fresh on hand)
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
4 cloves garlic, mashed
2 medium onions studded with 2 cloves
2 peeled, quartered carrots
Optional additions:
2-4 peeled, quartered turnips
2-3 sliced celery stalks1-2 cups fresh white beans or half cooked navy beans, or add canned white or red beans to soup 10-15 minutes before end of simmering
Rounds of hard-toasted french bread

Place the water, potatoes and meat in a (LARGE) kettle and bring it to the boil. Add the cabbage and all the other ingredients. Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat (and beans) is tender. Discard parsley bundle if you used it. Removed the meat. slice it into serving pieces and return it to the kettle. Correct seasoning. Skim off an accumulated fat. If not to be served immediately, set aside uncovered. Rehat to simmer before serving. Serve in a tureen or soup plates, accompanied by the bread.

Susan's notes: I used dry butterbeans which had be soaked. It took a wee bit longer than 2 hours to get them cooked. I also added a can of red beans at the end to give it a little more color. If I made this over again I'd probably take the completely canned bean route. The recipe serves an army...or at least 8. I was able to freeze quite a bit to be used on chilly winter work nights when I need a quite meal.



Go check out my friends posts and see what they made

Herb Biscuits from Jayne at A Grain of Salt
Supremes de Volaille a Brun from Marsha at Marsha's Kitchen
Profileroles with Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce from Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen
Sage Butter Cakes from Debbie at Mountain Breaths
Beef Bourguignon and Cinnamon Toast Flan from Carol at There's Always Thyme to Cook
Supremes de Volaille aux Champignons from Barb at Foley's Follies
Ruffle Cake from Kathleen at Cuisine Kathleen