Recipe: Soupe des Hortillonnages

Wash the cabbage and cut it in half. Remove the core. Finely chop the remaining cabbage and the white part of the leeks.

Melt 80 gr (2.8 oz) of butter in a saucepan and then add the cabbage and the chopped leeks. Season and sweat gently, covering the pan for 10 minutes. Add 2 litres (2.1 qt) of water. When it starts to boil check the seasoning and add the peeled and diced potatoes (cubes must measure approximately 1 cm on each side).

Leave to simmer for 30min. Add the peas and cook for another 10 min.

During this time, melt 40 gr (1.4 oz) of butter in a small saucepan. Wash the lettuce, the sorrel and the chervil and chop them finely. Next, sweat them in the butter.

Season the vegetables and cover. Leave them to cook for 5 minutes. Add them to the soup and taste.

Serve this soup with large toasted bread slices, cut in half.

Hortillonnages are parcels of land that are gardened and connected by canals. They exist n some parts of France such as the Somme region. Vegetables that come from these gardens are known for their exceptional quality and variety.