Tuscan Bean And Barley Soup Recipes

TUSCAN BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a 5-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked sausage and reserve.
• Add the barley and cook stirring constantly until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, fennel, leeks, chard, cheese rind if using, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, and discard. Season the soup with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cooked sausage and chopped chives.

WHITE BEAN 'N' BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Place beans in a Dutch oven or soup kettle; add enough water to cover beans by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid. , In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Stir in broth, water, beans, carrots, red peppers, celery, barley, 1/4 cup parsley, bay leaves, salt, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes; heat through. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parsley.

TUSCAN CHARD AND CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon, onion, garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and cannellini beans, and bring the mixture to a boil; stir in sun-dried tomatoes and the piece of Parmesan cheese rind. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook while you prepare the chard, about 10 minutes.
• Cut the stems from the chard, and slice the stems into pieces about 3/4-inch long. Cut the chard leaves into 1-inch wide ribbons. Stir the chard stems and pasta into the soup, setting aside the leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer, and gently simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir the chard leaves, sage, and basil into the soup, and simmer just until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

TUSCAN BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
• Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
• Add onion, carrot, celery, and fennel to the pot; saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add beans, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and about 6 cups water, or as much as is needed to cover the beans by about 2 inches; bring to a boil.
• Decrease heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Discard rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs.
• Meanwhile, cook barley according to package directions and set aside.
• Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth.
• Return to the pot, if necessary.
• Add barley and pancetta; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle into heated bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with Parmesan curls.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water to cover overnight. Drain and put in a kettle and add water to cover. Add the onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer one to two hours or until cooked.
• With a slotted spoon, remove half the beans and set aside. Puree the remaining mixture, a portion at a time, in a blender. Put into a large saucepan and add the beans you set aside.
• Add the pureed tomatoes. Bring the soup to simmer, turn down heat and cook for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile fry the garlic, pancetta and parsley in the olive oil until lightly golden. Stir into the soup. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for five minutes before serving.