Sometimes soup is simply an excuse to eat lots of great bread, and few pairings feel as comforting or nourishing as the days get darker and cooler.
When we first started serving plates from the kitchen, we were fast heading towards the dark days of winter. We were looking for a recipe that would see us through those cold months, while staying true to our focus on building great meals around bread. We found it in this soup.
It’s a country-style soup: nothing too refined or delicate, just strong, rustic flavours, drawing on the very strong tradition of bread soups found in Italian cooking – think of ribollita, or pappa pomodoro. They all make use of the wholesome, comforting qualities of bread. We also love the fact that we can bake this in the oven – which, as bakers, is at the centre of everything we do.
INGREDIENTS
To serve six
2 litres chicken stock (homemade or top-quality shop-bought)
2 chicken breasts, on the bone, skin on
2 tbsp olive oil
100g pancetta, in 1cm cubes
2 small onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
500g Savoy cabbage, sliced into fettucini-like ribbons
12 slices of GAIL’s Sourdough, crust left on, about 1cm thick
150g vintage Cheddar or Gruyère, grated – pick a cheese strong enough to sting your mouth
Flaked sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD
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Pour the chicken stock into a large saucepan and bring it to the boil over a medium heat. Season with a little flaked sea salt, then lower the chicken breasts into the hot liquid. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it to stand for 1 hour.
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Lift out the chicken breasts with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the stock. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, use a couple of forks to shred it into chunks, rather like pulled pork.
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Preheat your oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Warm the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
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Stir in the diced onions and cook for 10–12 minutes until very soft, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic and the shredded cabbage, give everything a good stir for a minute or two, then add the shredded chicken and pour in the reserved stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the cabbage is tender – about 15 minutes. Taste and season with a little extra salt or some pepper, if necessary.
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Ladle half the hot soup into six ovenproof bowls or little casseroles, filling each just less than half-way, and making sure that everyone gets their fair share of cabbage, pancetta and chicken.
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Fit a slice of bread on top of each bowl (trimming as necessary to fit), and scatter over half the grated cheese.
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Top up the bowls with the remaining soup, lay another slice of bread over it, and finish with the remaining cheese.
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Press down on the cheesy top layer of bread to soak it thoroughly in the broth, then place the bowls on baking trays, transfer carefully to the oven, and bake until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling – 8–10 minutes.
