Potage cultivateur
Farmer's vegetable soup
Potage cultivateur (potage cultivateur): France's rustic 'farmer's soup' of finely cut carrot, turnip, leek and potato
Potage cultivateur is the farmhouse soup of France, made in kitchens from Normandy to the Auvergne on cold evenings and eaten as a light supper with bread. The vegetables are cut into small, thin squares (the 'paysanne' cut), sweated slowly in butter, then simmered in water, so the broth stays clear and every spoonful has carrot, turnip, leek and potato. The old versions add bacon; this one is vegetarian. It is light, with about 4 g of protein per bowl; add a handful of white beans or serve with cheese on toast for more (choose a vegetarian cheese if you avoid animal rennet). The most common mistake is browning the vegetables: they should sweat gently until soft and shiny, never coloured. Chef's tip: cut every vegetable the same size, about 1 cm square and 3 mm thick, so they all cook in the same time.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 oz butter
- 2 leekswhite and pale green parts, cut into 1 cm squares
- 2 carrotscut into thin 1 cm squares
- 1 turnipcut into thin 1 cm squares
- 1 stick celerythinly sliced
- 5 cups waterhot
- 2 potatoesmedium, cut into thin 1 cm squares
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 2: Cover and sweat for 10–12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft and shiny but not coloured at all.
12 minStep 3: Pour in 5 cups water, add 2 potatoes and the rest of the salt, and bring to a gentle simmer.
3 minStep 4: Simmer half-covered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and just starting to soften at the edges, thickening the broth very slightly.
15 minStep 5: Season with ¼ tsp ground black pepper and taste for salt. Stir in 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve hot with crusty bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does potage cultivateur take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
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