White Bean And Bacon Soup With Escarole Food

WHITE BEAN AND BACON SOUP WITH ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
• Add onions and shallot to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more.
• Return bacon to pan. Stir in stock, beans, thyme, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours more.
• Stir in escarole. Cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

Steps:

• Serving suggestions:
• Drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil and/or sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve with a good crusty bread.
• In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the pancetta, and saute for about 5 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes; saute for 3 minutes more. Add the escarole, stirring for 2 minutes more. Add the beans, tomato, broth, and salt to taste; bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved pancetta and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the oil and/or cheese and the crusty bread. Cook's note: Swiss chard is a welcome substitute for the escarole.
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ESCAROLE WITH BACON AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour off and discard all but 2 tsp drippings from pan. Set bacon aside.
• Add onion to drippings in pan; cook until golden brown (about 12 minutes). Add garlic; cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add escarole; cook 2 minutes or until escarole wilts, stirring frequently. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and broth; cook 15 minutes or until escarole is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add beans; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with bacon.

WHITE BEAN, BACON, AND ESCAROLE SOUP WITH DAD'S SAUSAGE BREAD

Steps:

• Place the beans in cold water to cover by about 3 inches. Soak for 8 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Drain well and set aside.
• Combine the whole garlic clove, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a cheesecloth bag. Tie the bag closed and set aside.
• Place the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat and saute for about 7 minutes or until the fat has rendered out and the bacon is crisp. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the onion, carrot, leek, and celery and saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but have not taken on any color. Add the reserved soaked beans and cheesecloth bag along with the stock or broth and bring to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are very tender.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the escarole and saute for about 4 minutes or until the escarole is wilted. Add the escarole to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and, if using, crushed red pepper. Serve hot with Dad's Sausage Bread, if desired.
• Heat the water, olive oil and honey in a small saucepan over low heat to 115 degrees. Set aside and keep warm.
• Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle water mixture over the flour, blending the liquid in with a wooden spoon. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add additional flour, 1/4 cup at time. Place the dough on a clean surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Cut the dough into 3 equal pieces and form each piece into a loaf shape. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 hour or until loaves have doubled in size.
• While the dough is rising, place the sausage and black pepper in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned. Drain off excess fat; place the sausage on a triple layer of paper towel to drain thoroughly.
• Place 2 of the eggs in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Place remaining egg in another small bowl and whisk to blend. Set aside.
• Combine the sausage with the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Add the 2 beaten eggs and mix to combine well. Set aside.
• Cut into but not through each loaf of dough, lengthwise, and open up each half. Place an equal portion of the sausage mixture down the center of each loaf. Pull the sides up and over the sausage to encase it, working the dough closed. Place the loaves, seam side down, on a greased cookie sheet or pizza stone. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly coat each loaf with remaining beaten egg. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm.

WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

Steps:

• Serving suggestions:
• Drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil and/or sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve with a good crusty bread.
• In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the pancetta, and saute for about 5 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, and pepper flakes; saute for 3 minutes more. Add the escarole, stirring until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Add the beans, tomato, broth, and salt; bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved pancetta and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the oil and/or cheese and the crusty bread.

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a 4 quart saucepan. Add onion and carrots, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until tender. If vegetables stick to saucepan, add some water, cover and continue to simmer.
• Add the garlic and saute for a moment. Add 1 of the cans of beans and mash with a potato masher. Add the other can of beans along with the broth and bring to a simmer with the sage. Simmer 10 minutes or until as thick as you like it. If too thick, add more water; if too thin, boil down until some of the liquid has evaporated.
• Stir the escarole or romaine lettuce into the pot, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until lettuce is tender. Uncover, add parsley and adjust seasoning. Serve with bread and salad for a complete meal.

TOMATO AND ESCAROLE SOUP WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• In a large dutch oven over a medium-high flame, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent, and the garlic begins to "dance".
• To the onion and garlic add the broth and the carrots; bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes - or until the carrots are almost tender.
• Stir in the tomatoes with juice, ham, orzo (or your choice), red pepper, black pepper, and water. Increase the heat to medium high and return to a simmer. Cook until pasta is tender (about 5 minutes). Add white beans and escarole; cover and cook - stirring often - until escarole is tender and the flavors blend (approximately another 5 minutes). Ladle into warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. A freshly tossed salad and warm crusty bread makes this meal complete!