Tuscan Bean Soup With Lamb And Shaved Fennel Food

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a soup pot or a large dutch oven and fry until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
• Cook onion and sausage: To the same pot add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Next, add the onion and the sausage to the pot and cook until the onion is translucent and the sausage is slightly browned. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute.
• Add the rest of the ingredients: Next add in the beans, broth, heavy cream, paprika, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves, half the cooked bacon and season with salt and pepper. Stir well.
• Cook: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for another 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick add more water, or if you want it thicker add another can of beans.
• Garnish & Serve: Garnish the soup with remaining bacon and serve.

HEARTY WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH LEFTOVER LAMB AND SHAVED FENNEL

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in your soup pot and add the onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary. I just add the herbs whole and pull out the stems at the end.
• When the onions become soft, add the tomatoes and lamb. Cook until the tomatoes begin to break apart and then add stock (5 min.).
• Season and simmer until meat is tender. This should be only about 20 minutes.
• Add the beans, mashing part of them to thicken soup. Cook until hot throughout. Check seasoning.
• Serve with a sprinkling of shaved fennel, red onion and chopped, fresh parsley and a drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the capicola, red onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, 2 cups water, the parmesan rind, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind.
• Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread; rub both sides with the whole garlic clove and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Stir the escarole into the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Top each serving of soup with a piece of toast. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place the kidney beans in a medium pot, add water to cover by 2-inches and bring to a boil. (If using canned kidney beans, skip this step.) Turn the heat down, let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until just-tender. Use the same process for the cannellini beans.
• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, rendering the fat and cooking until slightly crispy about 3 minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Add the diced tomatoes, the cooked and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, chick peas, and the chicken stock. Using kitchen twine, tie the herbs and the bay leaf into a bundle and add to the pot. Season with the red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking until the beans are completely tender.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil over the slices of peasant bread, season with a little salt and pepper and toast in the oven. Serve the soup in large bowls with grated Parmesan and a slice of toast.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH CHESTNUTS AND ROASTED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the fennel halves, cut-side up, in a baking dish and drizzle with enough olive oil to come up half-way; season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until completely tender - the roasted fennel is the base of the soup, so it's important the flesh is soft enough to be cut with a spoon.
• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium flame; add the onion and garlic, saute for 4 minutes until translucent. Toss the thyme into the pan, along with the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mushrooms give off their liquid. Add the chestnuts and cook for a few more minutes until they have some nice color on them. Remove about 1 cup of the mixture to save as a garnish for the soup.
• Pour the stock into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove from the heat and puree the soup until completely smooth, using a handheld or regular blender. Stir in the cream to make the soup even richer, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.
• To serve: Ladle the soup into soup bowls; garnish each serving with a bit of the reserved mushrooms and chestnuts, the roasted fennel, and a sprinkle of chopped chives.

LAMB SOUP WITH CURRIED CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• In a saucepan, saute carrots, celery and onions until soft. Add stock and lamb bones and simmer for 1 hour. Pull bones out and pull all the meat off. Dice up the meat and add back to the soup. Check for seasoning.
• CUCUMBER SALAD: In a bowl, mix yogurt with curry. Season and add cucumbers. Garnish soup with salad.