French Country Soup

This rustic French country soup is a big-pot, cold-weather meal in the style of a pot-au-feu. Beef shank simmers for two hours with cabbage, tomato sauce, and whole cloves until the meat is fall-apart tender and the broth is deeply flavored.

Beef shank is the right cut for this soup. It’s loaded with connective tissue that melts into gelatin during the long simmer, giving the broth a rich body that lighter cuts can’t deliver. The whole cloves add a warm, aromatic note that’s subtle but gives the broth a distinctly French character.

Turnips, rutabaga, green beans, and elbow macaroni go in during the last 30 minutes so they stay tender without turning to mush. Adding them too early means overcooked vegetables and bloated pasta. The uncovered simmer in the final stretch reduces the broth slightly and concentrates the flavor.

Chef Tips

• Skim any foam from the surface during the first 30 minutes of simmering. This keeps the broth clear.
• Fish out the whole cloves before serving if you can find them. Biting into one is an unpleasant surprise.
• The beef shank meat should be falling off the bone by the 2-hour mark. If not, keep simmering.
• This soup is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to deepen overnight.

Variations

• Add diced potatoes with the turnips for a heartier, starchier soup.
• Stir in a spoonful of pesto before serving for a Provencal twist.
• Use short ribs instead of beef shank for an even richer, more marbled broth.