White Bean, Sage and Tomato Soup

White Beans with Sage and Tomatoes

(from SweetBasil, Garlic Tomatoes and Chives by Diana Shaw, page 76)

A pretty soup and is a great supper or lunch.

Prep Time:  20 minutes if using canned items and adding other vegetables that need prepped.

Cooking time: 15 minutes. Depends on if using fresh ingredients or canned ones.

Serves: 4 (modestly)

Cooking utensils:  medium soup pot, can opener.  

INGREDIENTS

3 cups water or broth (I strongly suggest chicken or vegetable broth)

1 cup dry white beans, soaked for 6 hours or one 14 ounce can of white beans (any size bean)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, drained and chopped, or 2 cups canned Italian tomatoes, drained and chopped

Big handful of fresh sage, coarsely chopped (dried sage is OK too, just use lots)

S&P to taste

PROCESS

1. If using dried beans, bring water/broth to boil and cook beans until soft but not mushy (approx 50 min)

2. Saute garlic in soup pot in olive oil until starts to brown. Remove and chop garlic. 

3. Return garlic to pan and add tomatoes, and sage to the oil, cooking about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (If you have a cheese heel, add it now)

4. Add any other cooked vegetable and blend in (I suggest cooked kale or green beans)

5. Add beans to tomato mixture. Season with S&P and serve at hot or at room temperature.

NOTES

I have adapted this soup and added kale, garlic, and cheese rinds.  The broth is important and should be a fairly strong chicken or vegetable.  Watch out for too much salt.

I have used canned beans and canned tomatoes and still had a good soup.  The broth is key.  You can also add a cheese heel or a little bit of white vinegar to bring out the flavor.

FARRO with MUSHROOMS

FARRO WITH MUSHROOMS

                                                (adapted from a recipe by Martha Rose Shulman, NYT)

Prep Time:  about 2 hours (includes 60 minutes of cooking time). 

Yield: 6 servings

ADVANCE PREPARATION:  Mushrooms can be cleaned and cut ahead of time. Dish can make   made several hours or a day ahead and reheat.  Add a little stock and stir over medium heat to reheat.

INGREDIENTS

½ ounce (approx ½ cup) dried porcini mushrooms

1 quart chicken stock or vegetable stock

1 ½ cups farro (or substitute grain, see NOTES)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 pound cremini mushrooms or mixture of bella, king oyster, Portobello or other wild

    mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced.

salt to taste

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

½ cup dry white wine

Pepper to taste

½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated ( ¼ to ½ cup) grated or shaved (optional)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley and/or more rosemary

PROCESS

1. Put farro in a bowl, pour hot water in to cover by an inch.  Let soak while preparing remaining

     ingredients.  Drain. Set aside.

2. Place dried mushrooms in large cup or bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water. Let sit for 30

    minutes, then drain mushrooms into a bowl through a strainer lined with cheese cloth or

    paper town. Squeeze mushrooms over strainer to remove any remaining liquid, and rinse in

    several changes of water to remove grit. (this last step may not be necessary if you buy bottled dried

     porcinis from Whole Food or other high-end grocers). Chop mushrooms coarsely if large, and set aside.

    Add liquid from mushrooms to stock so you should have about 6 cups total stock/mushroom

    liquid. 

3. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion and cook until begin to soften (about 3

      minutes). 

4. Add fresh (not porcinis) mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften and sweat. Add salt to

    taste, garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender(about

     5 minutes).

5. Add farro and porcini mushrooms.  Cook, stirring, until grains of farro are separate and begin

    to crackle (or about 2 minutes).  Add wine and stir until wine has been mostly absorbed.

6. Add all but about 1 cup of stock/mushroom liquid, and bring to a simmer.  

7. Cover and simmer 50 minutes or until farro is tender; some of the grains will begin to splay.

     Remove lid and stir vigorously from time to time.

8. There should be some liquid remaining in the pot but not too much.  If farro is submerged

     raise the heat and cook until there is just enough to moisten, like a sauce.  If there is not, stir

     in the remaining stock.  If not serving right away, cover and let stand.

9. Just before serving, bring back to a simmer and add Parmesan, parsley and pepper and stir.

NOTES:  This dish can get pretty expensive if you buy lots of wild mushrooms.  I use a combination of Bella, Portobello, King Oyster and dried Porcini, but most any combo will do as long as you don’t use only the ordinary white mushrooms.  You need the depth the others provide.  If you use a Portobello, you may wish to remove the gills.  I also add more rosemary both during cooking and at the end as it gives off a marvelous perfume.

I also substituted brown basmati rice for an all-farro dish; using 1 cup farro and ½ cup brown basmati rice.  I think you could substitute all brown basmati or kamut, or other wheat berries.  If you combine grains, make sure they have equivalent cooking times or do them in separate pots and combine later.    Cheese is nice but not necessary. This is a wonderful, earthy, dish with lots of flavor.   Would be great with meat, esp beef, but probably not fish.  It is Vegan so is a good meat substitute.  

FARRO & BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD (warm)

WARM FARRO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD

                                                (from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen)

Combining whole-grain farro with chunks of butternut squash, crunchy hazelnuts and dried cranberries, this salad is not only beautiful, it’s also packed with nutrients.

Serves 6 to 8
Prep time: 20-30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-45 minutes (depending in whether you soak farro first or not)

Ingredients:

7 cups (56 fl. oz./1.75 l) water

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

1/2 cups (9 oz./280 g) farro

1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g) hazelnuts

3 Tbs. unsalted butter or oil

1 yellow onion, finely diced

3 cups (15 oz./470 g) diced peeled butternut squash (1/2-inch dice) (about 1 1/2 pd squash)

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

2 Tbs. sherry vinegar

1 cup (4 oz./125 g) dried cranberries

2 cups (4 oz./125 g) thinly sliced radicchio

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water and the 2 tsp. salt to a boil. Add the farro, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain off and reserve the excess water.

Meanwhile, in a 5-quart (5-l) deep pan or sauté pan over medium heat, toast hazelnuts until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Coarsely chop the nuts.

In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming.

Add the onion and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add squash, season with s& p. Cook, stir occasionally until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the thyme and cook for 30 seconds.

 Stir in the vinegar and cranberries.

Fold in the farro, hazelnuts and radicchio. Add more cooking water if needed. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve immediately. 


NOTES
You can cook the farro first or ahead of time.  This is a nice dish and works well with any meat or fowl, and lovely as a side dish. Pretty.

LENTIL and KALE SALAD

Warm Lentil and Kale Salad

                        Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Good for You, by Dana Jacobi (Weldon Owen, 2013)

Serves:  6 
Prep Time:  15 minutes
Cook Time; approx 30 minutes 
Cooking Utensils : large sauce pan, medium fry pan, chef's knife, small colander or sieve 
 

Here, protein- and fiber-rich brown lentils star alongside roasted carrots, sautéed onions and earthy kale in a salad that shows off bold tastes, textures and colors. A small amount of crisped prosciutto lends meaty, savory flavor without much extra fat.  To do a vegan version, use vegetable broth and leave out proscuitto  It's still a great dish! 

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil

4 carrots, peeled and diced small

1 large red onion, thinly sliced (size of baseball or your fist)

1 1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more, to taste

Freshly ground pepper,  to taste, plus 1/4 tsp.

Leaves from 1 large bunch Tuscan kale, thinly sliced

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

2 fresh thyme sprigs

4 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth  or vegetable broth

6 thin slices prosciutto (if possible use Italian, NOT domestic prosciutto presliced)

1 tsp. sherry vinegar (use can use other vinegars, but sherry is sweeter)

Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the carrots and onion, 1/4 tsp. of the salt and several grindings of pepper. Sauté until the onion is very soft and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Scrape the contents of the pan into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan.

In the same pan over high heat, combine the lentils, thyme, garlic, broth, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender but firm to the bite, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a fry pan over medium heat, cook the prosciutto until crisp and browned, about 7 minutes. Let cool, then tear into small pieces.

Drain the lentils in a colander, and remove and discard the thyme and garlic. Return the lentils to the saucepan, and stir in the kale mixture, vinegar and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Transfer the lentil mixture to a serving bowl, top with the prosciutto and serve immediately..

[HJ1] 

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 [HJ1]