Catholic Recipe: Soupe Basque
The Feast of St. Giles on September 1st marks the beginning of the autumn festivals. This soup is appropriate for the harvest during this time of year. In Spain among the Basques, September 1st was the day that shepherds came down from the Pyrenees, attired in their full costume, sheepskin coasts and staves and crooks, to attend Mass with their best rams, in honor of St. Giles. This is the beginning in the Basque country of a number of autumn festivals, marked by processions and dancing in the fields. This feast is no longer on the Universal Roman Calendar, but can be celebrated locally.
DIRECTIONS
Soak the beans overnight, then rinse and drain. Brown the onion in a little bacon grease, then add the pumpkin, cabbage, beans, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and add the stock. Simmer for about three hours in a covered soup kettle.
Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951
