Quebec’s Traditional Broad Bean Soup

Author Notes

It’s back to school season! And even if it’s been many years now since I sat in a school class, I always feel some sort of nostalgia around this period of the year. It evokes all those years, from early childhood to early teenage years, spent at my babysitter’s place. She was like a third grandmother to me. She operated a small daycare not so far from school at her home and like many other kids, I came back every lunch break to get fed. Her cooking was simple, modest, but always made me happy. She cooked divinely well and had many recipes of her own I can’t find anywhere. One of her major hit was her Broad Bean Soup, a staple of Quebec’s traditional cuisine.

The fava or broad bean is known as «gourgane» in Quebec. This generous bean is mostly cultivated in the beautiful Charlevoix and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions, but also all along the Saint-Laurent River to Gaspesie. Of very ancient origin, it was once part of the common diet of the inhabitants of New France, first name given to Quebec Province centuries ago. Despite its great nutritional qualities, broad beans occupies a marginal place in the diet of Quebecers today. It remains mainly associated with this famous soup, a regional dish typical of the Charlevoix, Saguenay and Bas-du-Fleuve food heritage.
(Source : Encyclopedie du Patrimoine Culturel de l’Amerique Francaise)

Nourishing, complete, this soup could easily be vegetarian or even vegan (if we omit the beef and the piece of salted lard). It makes a perfect meal for lunch or chilly evenings when you don't want to worry. Like me when i was young, children love and cherish it too… with tons of crackers!
—Jonathan Michaud