Bean Soup - Vegetarian

By mariannefeldman

VEGETARIAN HEARTY TUSCAN BEAN STEW
cooksillustrated.com

Published March 1, 2008. Web Exclusive.
Serves 8.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We were determined to avoid tough, exploded beans in our Tuscan bean stew recipe, so we soaked the beans overnight in salted water, which softened the skins. Then we experimented with cooking times and temperatures, discovering that gently cooking the beans in a 250-degree oven produced perfectly cooked beans that stayed intact. To complete our bean stew recipe, we added tomatoes toward the end of cooking, since their acid kept the beans from becoming too soft.

We prefer the creamier texture of beans soaked overnight for this recipe. If you're short on time, quick-soak them: Place the rinsed beans in a large heat-resistant bowl. Bring 2 quarts of water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil. Pour the water over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well before proceeding with step 2. For a more substantial dish, serve the stew over toasted bread.

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• Table salt
• 1 pound dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
• 1 large onion , chopped medium (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium ribs celery , cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 8 medium garlic cloves , peeled and crushed
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained and rinsed
• 1 medium bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), stems trimmed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces) about 8 cups loosely packed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese , for serving

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak, at room temperature, for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Place mushrooms and 1/2 cup water in small microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife and microwave on high power, 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and mince. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer lined with paper towels into medium bowl. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.

3. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 4 cups water, broth, bay leaves, soaked beans, and reserved mushrooms and cooking liquid. Increase heat to high and bring stew to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are almost tender (very center of beans will still be firm), 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Remove pot from oven and stir in tomatoes and greens. Return pot to oven and continue to cook until beans and greens are fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer.

5. Remove pot from oven and submerge rosemary sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and rosemary sprig; season stew with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and lightly drizzled with olive oil.

STEP-BY-STEP
Keys to Tender, Flavorful Beans


SALTWATER SOAK

Soaking the beans in salt water overnight helps them cook up creamy, with tender skins.


2. LOW-TEMPERATURE OVEN

Cooking the beans at a near-simmer in a 250-degree oven leads to fewer exploded beans in the finished stew.


3. WAIT TO ADD TOMATOES

The acid in tomatoes can interfere with the beans’ tender texture. Add them toward the end of cooking, after the beans have already softened.

RECIPE TESTING
Simmer Down

The bubbling action of stew simmered on the stovetop caused our beans to fall apart. Cooking the beans at a near-simmer in a covered pot in a 250-degree oven kept them intact.


Simmered on stovetop


Near-simmered in oven