Ingredients
- 150g borlotti or butterbeans (you can use tinned and add them later)
- 100 Puy lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 50ml olive oil
- 4 large shallots, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 2 rashers of smoked bacon
- 6 sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 head of York cabbage, trimmed, washed and shredded
- ½tsp allspice
- 1 small bottle of cider (33cl)
- 1½ litres chicken stock
1 Soak the beans and lentils separately in plenty of cold water for a few hours before you start the soup. Put the borlotti into a pot, cover with water about 10cm above the beans.
2 Add the bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
3 Skim off any scum and cook gently for 20 minutes before adding the lentils.
4 Cook the pulses for about 20 more minutes until just soft, drain, then allow them to cool.
5 Put the olive oil, shallots, garlic, bacon and sage in a pot and cook gently for a few minutes until the shallots are soft and translucent.
6 Add the shredded cabbage and allspice, then continue to cook the cabbage gently until it starts to soften.
7 Add the cider and stock, bring to the boil then add the beans and lentils. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, season and serve.
