White Bean Soup with Winter Vegetables

By á-47131

If possible, use fresh dried beans in this soup. For a more authentic soup, place a small slice of lightly toasted Italian bread in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup over. To make this a vegetarian soup, omit the pancetta and add a 4-ounce piece of Parmesan rind to the pot along with the halved onion and unpeeled garlic in step 1. Serves 10 to 12.

Ingredients

• 6 Ounces pancetta, one 1-inch-thick slice, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Pound dried cannellini beans , rinsed and picked over
• 1 Large onion, unpeeled and halved pole to pole
• 4 Medium cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for serving
• 2 Small carrots, medium diced
• 2 Ribs celery, medium diced
• 2 Small leeks, white and light green parts, washed thoroughly, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 Small onion, diced medium
• 3 Medium cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Ounces kale, stemmed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 3 cups)
• 4 Ounces escarole, stemmed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips (about 3 cups)
• 2 Small boiling potatoes, medium diced
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained
• 1 Sprig fresh rosemary

Preparation

Step 1

1. In large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 12 cups water, beans, halved onion, unpeeled garlic, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover pot partially; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are almost tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove beans from heat, cover, and let stand until beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid; discard pancetta, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Spread beans in even layer on baking sheet and cool.

2. While beans are cooling, heat oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering; add carrots, celery, leeks, and diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add enough water to reserved bean cooking liquid to equal 9 cups, add to pot with kale and escarole. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Add potatoes and tomatoes; cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add cooled beans; increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Submerge rosemary sprig in liquid; cover and let stand off heat 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls, drizzle each bowl with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve.