White bean soup with winter greens

Name: White bean soup with winter greens
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 celery stalks, finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 x 400g cans white beans; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock, heated; 200ml water; Sea salt and black pepper; To finish; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 500g silverbeet or spinach leaves, washed; 2 tbsp freshly grated parmigiano; Extra-virgin olive oil and pepper for serving; 

Jill Dupleix

October 18, 2011

White bean soup with winter greensMarina Oliphant

Time:< 30 mins

Garlic and celery add an extra depth of flavour to a simple country-style bean soup. Top with any wilted winter greens, such as silverbeet, spinach, cavolo nero or kale.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400g cans white beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock, heated
200ml water
Sea salt and black pepper
To finish
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
500g silverbeet or spinach leaves, washed
2 tbsp freshly grated parmigiano
Extra-virgin olive oil and pepper for serving

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot with the tomato paste, hot stock and water. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Remove a ladleful of the beans and mash or puree them then return to the soup to thicken it. For the greens, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the leaves and a dash of water and cook over a high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted. Drain well and roughly chop. Serve the soup in shallow bowls, top with the greens and scatter with parmigiano and black pepper. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.