Vegetable and Bean
Soup
Serves 8
1/2 cup dry fava beans
1/2 cup dry haricots or other white beans
Salt
2 medium onions, cut into eighths and separated
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
1 bunch dill chopped (about 2 pounds)
3 cabbage leaves
1 bunch beet or Swiss chard leaves or 1 pound spinach leaves
3 Belgian endive leaves
Pepper
1 cup Arborio rice, washed
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
1. Soak the dry beans for 1 hour in cold water; drain. Bring
a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the beans,
onions, carrot, celery, and bay leaf.
2. After the water returns to a boil,
reduce the heat so that the soup slowly simmers. Check the
beans after 45 minutes, and if they are still hard, continue
cooking until they are almost soft.
3. Add the bulb fennel and dill, cabbage,
beet leaves, and endive leaves. Taste for salt and pepper.
Simmer for 25 minutes, uncovered.
4. Add the rice, Cover and cook for
15 minutes. Serve with a generous amount of extra-virgin olive
oil drizzled on each serving. You can also sprinkle some parmesan
cheese on top.
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