Bean Soup From Tuscany

Title:
Bean Soup From Tuscany

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Vegetables,
Microwave,
Soups




Ingredients:





     2 c  Dried cannellini beans


     2    Red onions


    10    Sprigs fresh parsley leaves


     1    Large celery stalk


     2    Cloves garlic, peeled


     1 tb Fresh basil


     1 ts Fresh rosemary leaves


          Coarse grained salt


     3    Fresh tomatoes OR 3 drained


          -canned imported Italian


          -tomatoes


     1 oz Boiled ham


     1 oz Salt pork


   1/4 c  Plus 8 ts olive oil


          Salt and freshly ground


          -pepper


   1/2 ts Dried thyme OR 1/2


          -ts tarragon


     1 sm Savoy cabbage, 2 lbs


     8    Slices coarse Italian bread






      Soak tghe beans overnight in cold water; rinse


 and drain.


    Coarsely chop one onion, parsley, celery, garlic,


 basil and


    rosemary. Place in stockpot. Add beans,


 coarse-grain salt to


    taste and 5 quarts of cold water. Cover and bring


 to a boil


    over medium heat, then simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.


      Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining onion, chop


 up the


    tomatoes in a food processor and cut the ham and


 salt pork into


    small pieces.


    Heat 1/4 c  of the oil and lightly saute the onion,


 ham and


    salt pork for about 10 minutes, then add the


 tomatoes. Taste


    for salt and pepper and add the thyme or tarragon.


 Simmer for


    about 10 minutes, then set aside.


      Clean and wash the cabbage. Cut into 1/2-inch


 strips. When


    the beans have finished cooking, remove about half


 the beans


    and vegetables with a slotted spoon and puree in a


 food


    processor. Return the puree to the stockpot and add


 enough cold


    water to make about 4 quarts liquid and bring to a


 boil. Add


    cabbage and simmer about 25 minutes, then add


 tomatoes and meat


    to the stockpot and simmer 5 minutes longer.


      Toast the slices of bread and place in each


 individual soup


    bowl. Ladle the soup over the bread and serve,


 adding a


    ts of olive oil to each serving.


      NOTE: Dried herbs may be substituted for fresh


 using 1/3 to


      1/2 ts dried for each tb fresh, or to taste.


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini