|
Ingredients
1 cup dried cannellini, or cranberry beans, degassed and drained.
(See USDA/Pacific Grain and Foods bean degas formula.)
¾ cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
 2 carrots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups water
Salt to taste
1 small leek, finely chopped
½ pound green beans cut into 1-inch lengths
2 medium zucchini, cut into small dice
2 tomatoes, peeled seeded, and chopped
2 cups (about 1 pound) fresh spinach leaves, stemmed and chopped
Directions:
- In a large, wide pot, combine the beans with water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Add a generous pinch of salt at the end of cooking. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. (This will yield 2 ½ to 3 cups of cooked beans.)
- In a flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and 2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the water and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the leek and green beans. Continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Taste for salt and add more, if you like.
- Add the cooked beans, 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, and the spinach. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Taste for salt and add more, if you like. Serves 8.
GARNISH
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoons grated Parmesan, or more taste.
- Ladle the soup into bowls.
- sprinkle each with olive oil and Parmesan.- adapted from “The Art of Simple Food”
©Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
Alice Waters/ The Boston Globe
|
