Home Style Vegetable Soup (French) - Soup bonne femme

Home Style Vegetable Soup (French)
Soupe bonne femme

I decided to make soup on a cold day like today, hence consulted a French cook book I have from Bocuse.  'Bocuse in Your Kitchen'.  It is a great inspiration for cooking French food. 

I did minor modifications to the recipe since I did not have leeks and sorrel leaves.  It turned out to be a very delicious soup. 

You will need the following:

• 6.5 cups of water
• 1.5 teaspoons coarse salt
• 7 tablespoons butter (105 g)
• 1 large onion (peeled, halved and sliced)
• 1 large or 2 small leeks (cleaned and sliced)
• About 1/2 pound (250 g) young green cabbage (sliced)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups tightly packed (100 g) sorrel leaves (chopped)
• Nutmeg to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Boil water and salt together in a saucepan.  In another saucepan (large enough for the ingredients) melt 5 tablespoons of butter; when it is sizzling hot, add the onions and leeks.  Brown them lightly over moderate heat.  Add the cabbage and stir until wilted.  Pour the boiling water into the pot with the vegetables and add the potatoes.  Simmer for 30 minutes (uncovered).  Add sorrel leaves and cook for 5 minutes. 

Warm soup tureen by pouring hot water in it.  Swirl it around so the tureen is warm enough.  Pour out the water.  Add a little nutmeg and salt to taste to the tureen.  Pour the soup into the tureen afterwards.  Add the remaining butter and serve hot.

I served this soup with an open faced Belgian sandwich and oven roasted brussel sprouts.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I did! 

Happy eating.