Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Tuscan Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe...Emeril One Pot Blogger Cooking Party

I’m a huge soup eater. Seriously, most days my lunch is a nice bubbling bowl of homemade soup. Since I am pretty much cooking all Emeril for the next three weeks (you can read about that here)  I was really happy to see that his new book Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders includes several recipes for various different soups.

I’m by no means what's referred to as a "health nut" but I try to keep my lunches somewhat on the healthy side. Or at least what I consider healthy. Chock full of veggies and white beans Emeril’s recipe for Tuscan Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe seemed a good option to me. What makes this soup even better is that it doesn't take long to make. With a little forethought on my end I was able to kick this out in no time. I prepped all the veggies and soaked the beans the night before and then it was only a matter of letting it simmer for about an hour or so.




A few changes I made to this recipe...although I think as is it's pretty darn perfect.  I added more veggies..ok maybe I am a health nut.  I also pureed more beans than the one cup it called for.  I did about 4 cups. I used homemade stock and fresh herbs from my garden; a mixture of sage, thyme and basil. 

This was one of the best bean soups I've tasted. I'll admit I was initially thrown off by the lemon and lemon rind in the recipe...but it worked.  There were several layers of flavor to this soup which shined through in every mouthful.

Lucky for you this is one of the 3 recipes I’m allowed to share. So you can get started making it right away. You don’t have to wait for the cookbook giveaway later this week. You read it right; I’ll be giving one lucky reader a chance to win a copy of Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders.  Check back later in the week for details on how you can enter to win. Until then go make some soup.

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe
(courtesy of Emeril Lagasse) (pre-order book here)

This is a comforting, hearty soup with flavors reminiscent of northern Italy. We used baby lima beans because we just love their tender, creamy consistency, although in Italy it would likely be made with cannellini beans or great Northern beans. Use whichever beans you love or have on hand; just take note that the cooking time will vary slightly.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups small-diced onion
1 cup small-diced celery
1 cup small-diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds dried white beans (cannellini, baby lima, or great Northern), rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight, and drained
1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind, about 1 × 3 inches
1 bay leaf
4 cups water
1 ½ pounds broccoli rabe, tough stem ends trimmed, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1 ½ cups)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling


1. Heat the olive oil in an 8-quart soup pot or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, dried Italian herbs, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, beans, Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and water and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to simmer gently and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes.

2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about 1 cup of the beans from the pot to a small bowl and mash them with the back of a spoon. Return the mashed beans to the soup and add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and continue to cook, uncovered, until the broth thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining black pepper, the broccoli rabe, and rosemary sprig and continue to cook until the broccoli rabe is just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Remove the Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and rosemary sprig and discard them. Serve the soup in wide, shallow bowls, garnished with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

13 cups, about 6 servings






9 comments:

  1. Wow! I can't take my eyes off this! It's exactly the kind of thing I love for lunch. Bookmarked!

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  2. I thought this one would be good, glad to hear it is! I love bean soup, and I like that you added more veggies :)

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  3. One of the best? I have to make this! Your soup looks delicious, my friend! I hope you are having a wonderful week. I've been busy baking a cake for my grandparent's anniversary. Much love...and thanks for making me smile.

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  4. Looks like this turned out wonderfully! I like the changes you made.

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  5. YUM! I can smell and taste it from the pictures. Great work!! I like that you added more veggies. :) And that you got your herbs from your garden...that made me happy.

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  6. Love that you addded extras as well! Looks amazing!

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  7. I like the herb combination you used, it looks really delicious!

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  8. Made this last night - so delicious! What type of beans did you use?

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  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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