Nowadays, every restaurant seems to have marrow on the menu. But for decades, the after-work evenings of local chefs have usually ended up (drunkenly) in the same place, L’Express, with its infamous three large trunks of marrowbone, sel gris, and rounds of cabbage. There is something about hot marrow in a cold climate; it’s the kind of thing you want to eat when snow is melting off your boots. Essentially a thick French peasant (cultivateur) vegetable soup with marrow, this recipe is a Joe Beef winter standard. Marrowbones are always from the hind legs of the animal. You want them crosscut, which reveals a long tube of marrow. If you have purchased them frozen, thaw them in the fridge first.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 2 for dinner (2 bones per person) or 4 for lunch (1 bone per person)

　　4 crosscut marrowbones, each about 6 inches (15 cm) long

　　Salt and pepper

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1/2 cup (45 g) or 6 slices diced bacon

　　1/3 cup (50 g) diced onion

　　1/3 cup (55 g) diced, peeled potatoes (Yukon Gold or fingerling)

　　1/3 cup (55 g) diced carrots

　　1/3 cup (25 g) diced cabbage

　　1/3 cup (45 g) tiny cauliflower florets

　　1/3 cup (25 g) chopped leek, white part only

　　1/3 cup (55 g) diced white turnip

　　1/3 cup (45 g) diced zucchini

　　6 sugar snap peas, thinly sliced on the diagonal

　　2 sprigs thyme

　　2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock

　　1 teaspoon cider vinegar

　　1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus more for serving

　　Canola oil for searing

　　1 clove garlic, smashed

　　Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish

　　Italian bread, as much as you want

　　Sea salt for serving

　　

Step 1

When you get the marrowbones home, put them in a big bowl with water to cover and 2 tablespoons salt. They should sit refrigerated for a minimum of 4 hours or as long as overnight.

　　

Step 2

To prepare the vegetables, place a cast-iron pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once it starts to bubble, add the bacon. Let the bacon crisp up for 2 minutes, and then add the onion. Let the onion cook for a couple of minutes, stirring now and again, and then bomb the rest of the vegetables in except for the zucchini and snap peas. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Base the cooking on the potatoes, as they will taste the worst if they are not cooked through. In the last minute of cooking, add the zucchini and snap peas.

　　

Step 3

Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 thyme sprig, and a pinch of pepper to the pot, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes and add the vinegar. At the last minute, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the mustard, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside over very low heat.

　　

Step 4

Now for the bones. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Drain the bones and pat them dry. Put a large ovenproof pan over high heat. Pour in a thin film of canola oil, and add the garlic and the remaining 1 thyme sprig. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the bones, marrow side down, and sear for 2 minutes. You are not looking for color, just a bit of heat penetration. Flip the bones marrow side up and put the pan into the oven. Roast for 12 minutes. We suggest using a thermometer to check the core of the marrow for doneness. It should register 140°F (60°C). A knife should penetrate the marrow easily. If the bones wobble and tip over, loosely crumble a sheet of foil and nestle them for sturdiness.

　　

Step 5

Take the bones out of the oven and place 1 or 2 bones, cut end up, in each shallow soup bowl. Divide the vegetable mixture among the bowls. Garnish with the parsley. Serve with the bread, mustard, and sea salt.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.