This is one of my favourite soups with great flavour and a beautiful texture. It is vegetarian or even vegan if you omit the sprinkle of parmesan at the end. Please don't try to substitute the dried cannelloni beans for the tinned variety as it doesn't work. You need to start the recipe the day before.
Ingredients
200gm dried cannelloni beans soaked overnight in a bowl with at least 50mm of water to cover
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed
2l water additional
1 medium potato peeled and diced
1 large carrot peeled and diced
1 medium zucchini diced
1 leek quartered lengthwise and sliced
50gm baby spinach
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
100gm fresh green beans cut into 40mm lengths
50gm fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated parmesan to serve (optional)
Method
In a large saucepan sauté the onions in the olive oil until soft but not browned. (At least 10 minutes)
Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
Add the drained and rinsed cannelloni beans then add the 2l of water.
Add all the vegetables and herbs except the green beans and basil.
Simmer for one to one and half hours until the cannelloni beans and the potato are cooked and soft.
With a ladle transfer half the soup to a blender and process to a puree or to a bowl and process with a stick blender.
Add the puree back into the soup and add the green beans and basil leaves.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the green beans are cooked.
Season with salt (1 to 1½tsp) and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
Serve with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan if desired.
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