Bread Bean And Vegetable Soup Second Time Around Recipes

BREAD, BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP, SECOND TIME AROUND

Steps:

• Bring leftover soup to a boil. Add diced bread and cook, stirring on occasion, for 10 minutes or until soup is thick and porridgelike. Adjust the seasoning and ladle out. Drizzle with olive oil and dust with more cheese if you like.

RIBOLLITA (VEGETABLE, BEAN AND STALE BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• Variations: For a sweeter soup, add chopped fennel to your mix. For autumn, add zucchini or butternut squash to your blend.
• Drain the beans and place in a pot with 4 cups chicken stock, 1 clove garlic, half an onion and some salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the bread until deeply golden and toasted. Store in foil.
• Heat 1/4 cup EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, remaining 3 cloves garlic, chile flakes, bay leaf and herb bundle. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, kale, cabbage and a little nutmeg. Stir. Wilt the greens, partially covered, 5 to 6 minutes more. Add the beans and their liquids and the tomato puree. Stir. Add 2 cups more stock (reserve 2 cups for the night you serve). Add the cheese rind to the soup. Simmer to combine flavors, 15 minutes. Remove 3 cups of the beans and vegetables, about half the soup, to food processor and puree. Then add back to pot. Cool and store the soup for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, heat the soup over medium heat, add the bread to the soup and let it absorb the liquid. Thin the soup with the remaining 2 cups of stock. Taste to adjust seasoning. Remove the herb bundle, rind and bay leaf. The ribollita is done when a wooden spoon can stand straight up in the soup. Ladle into shallow bowls and garnish with a generous drizzle of EVOO, finely chopped raw onion and cheese. Leftover soup can be fried in olive oil in a skillet like potato pancakes or hash, and topped with over easy or fried eggs.

SECOND TIME AROUND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• With a food mill puree the leeks, carrots, and potatoes. Transfer the puree to a saucepan. Add enough broth to turn the puree into a souplike consistency and bring to a simmer. If desired, add heavy cream to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with snipped chives.

BEAN AND VEGETABLE SOUP, FIRST TIME AROUND

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and bacon and cook until bacon bits are almost crisp. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach and cook for about 10 minutes longer or until wilted. (If vegetables begin to stick, add some water.) Add the bean puree and whole beans, basil, broth, water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring liquid to a boil, and simmer, over low heat, stirring on occasion, for 20 minutes. Season well to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into hot deep bowls. Garnish with grated cheese to taste.