White Bean Soup with Crisped Prosciutto

Tags

beans, cannelini beans, lemon, prosciutto, sage, soup

It was a cold and rainy day yesterday. We haven’t had many days like that this winter, so I figured I had to take advantage of it while I could. And make soup! What could be more comforting than a bowl of soup while the rain hits the windows!

I’ve been on kind of a bean kick lately, trying lots of recipes involving beans in all sorts of ways. In this soup, they’re pureed down to a creamy delicious soup that’s loaded with vegetables. This sort of thing really is the best way to get me to eat my veggies! And like Courtney always says, make sure to fully read through the recipe! I initially forgot to add the lemon at the end, so when I tasted the soup it was definitely missing something. But once the lemon was in there, it gave it the perfect little zing it needed. And the prosciutto on top was the icing on the cake!

White Bean Soup with Crisped Prosciutto
Yield: about 8 cups

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
4 large sage leaves, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken stock
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
Salt
6 – 8 thin slices prosciutto
1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more as needed

In a large 8-quart pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery and carrot; cook until softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the sage, garlic, and bay leaf and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until aromatic.

Add the chicken stock and beans; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft and have started to break down, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Brush both sides of the prosciutto with olive oil and place each piece on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until they are slightly darker and wrinkly, 10 to 15 minutes; they will become crisp as they cool. Once cooled, break into shards and set aside.

To finish the soup, remove the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender, or use a blender or food processor and puree the soup in batches. Stir in the lemon juice and add more if needed; salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topped with the crisped prosciutto.

Source: Shutterbean

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Tuscan Bean Stew

Tags

beans, cannelini beans, carrot, celery, Italian, kale, onion

I totally didn’t realize there was so little time until Christmas! I’m so not ready yet! I had all these plans to make cookies and candies, and try all sorts of new and festive treats and share with you… but alas, I am running out of time. Guess I’ll have to see what I can bust out in the next week, and share what I can. There’s always next year to share more!

Now this soup isn’t festive, but it’s perfect for fall and winter. I tried this last year, and when the temps started dropping here, this is one of the first soups I got a craving for. It’s loaded with vegetables and beans, and is super hearty and filling. Cook’s Illustrated has a quick version, which is the one I used, and a longer version that uses dried beans. I would love to try this with dried beans, but I can’t seem to find dried cannelini beans in any stores nearby! Please let me know if you’ve ever found them, and if so where!! But anyways, if you’re a fan of beans and vegetables in soup, then you’ve got to try this delicious recipe!Tuscan Bean Stew

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
6 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped medium (about 1½ cups)
2 medium celery ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces (about ¾ cup)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
8 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
2 bay leaves
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium bunch kale (about 1 pound), thick stems trimmed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Heat oil and pancetta or bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, beans, bay leaves, tomatoes, and kale. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add rosemary and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables and greens are fully tender. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig; season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve lightly drizzled with olive oil.

Source: Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, March 2008