Farmhouse Soup

A hearty winter soup, that can be varied easily to use what you have.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  carrots
• 2  turnips
• 2  celery ribs
• 2  leeks
• 1⁄2 cabbage
• 60  g butter
• 300  g  bacon joint
• 8  cups  chicken stock
• 125  g  French beans
• 2  potatoes
• 125  g peas
• 1⁄2 cup gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Dice the carrots, and turnips and white portion of the leeks.
2. Melt butter in a large pan. Put in the carrots, turnips, leeks and soften on low heat for 10minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Wash the bacon in cold water and put in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10minutes on low heat, drain and set aside to cool.
4. Finely shred the cabbage, and chop the bacon into cubes.
5. Add stock and bacon and cabbage to the vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer gently for about 1hour.
6. Cap and string the beans, wash and cut into pieces about 4cm long. Chop the celery and cube the potatoes.
7. About 20minutes before end of cooking time, add cubed potatoes and peas to soup and cook further until tender.
8. Serve with croûtons (optional) and grated Gruyère Cheese.