garbure is good for you

Sounds a bit like garbage, non? Well it kind of is - if your garbage consists of cabbage, bacon, flageolet beans, carrot, celery and onion. That's my kind of garbage.

The French came up with this thick potage and served with any old thing - fish, duck, chicken, you name it, they served it with it. Evidently it's been around for 3000 years or so, but it was traditionally a peasant dish. Only now has it become la di da.

I happened upon it in the March issue of Good Food - this time served with lightly sauteed white fish. They rather anglicised the name, in my opinion - calling it 'one-pot cabbage and beans.'

No matter what it's called, though, it's really good - wholesome, pleasant and filling. The bacon gives it a savoury depth, while the flageolet beans are oh so creamy - and all without a lick of dairy.

I've tweaked the recipe slightly (as you do).

Haddock with garbure (adapted from BBC Good Food)
(serves 2)

1 head of savoy cabbage, sliced/shredded
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3/4 stalks of thyme
200 ml stock (homemade preferably, but made up with bouillon is fine)
20 sprays of olive oil
2 rashers of back bacon, dry cure, chopped
salt and pepper

for the fish:
2 pieces of skinless, boneless haddock (about 200 g total)
1 tbsp/7 g plain flour
1 tsp rapeseed oil

Heat the olive oil spray in a large sauté pan. Cook the bacon in the pan for a few minutes, before adding the onion, celery and carrots. Saute over a low heat until the veggies are soft and translucent - make sure it doesn't brown, covering if necessary.

Add the thyme and the cabbage, turning the heat up to medium and stirring freqently to make the mixture homogenous. (If the mixture seems really dry, sprinkle a bit of water). Cook for about 4 minutes, until the cabbage starts to wilt.

Add a splash or two of the stock and simmer until it evaporates. Add the rest of the stock, as well as the flageolet beans. Season (with more pepper than salt), cover and simmer for 10 mins.

Now on to the fish. Season the fish on both sides with pepper, then coat the flesh lightly with the flour. Bring the rapeseed oil to a high heat, and fry the fillets - first for about 5 minutes on one side, then about 2 on the other.

Split the cabbage mixture evenly between two shallow bowls or plates and top with the fish. Serve immediately.

Calories per serving: 373, amazing value for money. Well-enjoyed by both members of the Staves household.