Thomas Straker's Organic Market Garden Broth
Thomas Straker shares a white bean, pancetta and spring garden vegetable broth to nurture and warm the soul which is as delicious as it is nutritious - using freshly picked, seasonal produce from our organic Market Garden.
200g pancetta, cut into chunks
4 leeks, trimmed and diced
2 onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
200ml white wine
3 winter tomatoes, diced
570g jar of white beans, plus their liquid
1 litre chicken stock
50g wild garlic, finely chopped
50g parsley, finely chopped
50g chervil, finely chopped
2 ciabatta, halved
Parmesan, to serve
Extra virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt and black pepper
Set a large cast iron pot over a medium heat and add the pancetta right away. Cook gently for a few minutes to render the fat and nicely brown the pancetta, then remove the pancetta and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
Add the diced vegetables to the pot along with a generous pour of olive oil. Cook for 5-10 minutes to soften, then return the pancetta to the pan along with the white wine. Bubble away for 3-5 minutes until reduced, then add the tomatoes and beans.
Pour in the chicken stock, then season to taste with salt. Continue to cook for a final 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, set a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Drizzle the ciabatta pieces with olive oil, then place cut-side down in the pan. Cook for a few minutes until nicely toasted.
To finish, add the herbs to the broth and stir well to combine, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the broth into bowls and finish with a generous grating of Parmesan and drizzle of olive oil. Serve with the grilled ciabatta alongside for dunking.
