Eye for a Recipe

This hearty soup from Food and Wine is perfect for a winter supper. Soften vegetables, add seasoning, tomatoes and wine and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in stock, bread, kale and Parmesan rind and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in mashed beans, whole beans and seasoning and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Unico tomatoes, Better Than Bouillon chicken stock paste and a wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite level of less than 10 parts per million. Ace Bakery bread is usually free of additives. Unico or Blue Menu beans are additive free; you could also soak and cook ¾ cup (187.5 ml) of dried cannellini beans. Genuine Parmesan is additive-free; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Ribollita

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 ½ cups/625 ml)

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup/250 ml)

1 celery stalk, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about ¼ cup/60 ml)

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) crushed red pepper (optional)

1 (15-ounce/425 g) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

1 cup (250 ml) unoaked dry white wine

9 cups (2.25 L) chicken stock or water, divided

3 rustic country bread slices (½ inch/1.25-cm thick), crusts discarded, cut into ½-inch/1.25-cm cubes

1 large bunch kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces

1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

2 (15-ounce/425 g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided

Black pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Stir in onion, carrot, celery, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt. Cook, stirring often and scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring often, until vegetables start to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper (if using); cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and wine; cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot, until mixture is reduced to a jamlike consistency, about 10 minutes.

Stir in 8 cups (2 L) chicken stock, bread, kale, and Parmesan rind (if using) until well combined. Gently boil over medium-high until kale is tender and bread is almost dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash 1 cup (250 ml) beans with remaining 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock in a medium bowl using a fork. Add bean puree, remaining about 2 cups (500 ml) beans, and remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt to Dutch oven; gently boil until beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper and additional salt.

Divide soup evenly among serving bowls; drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Serves 8.

From Food and Wine

Ribollita, which means “reboiled” is a hearty Tuscan soup traditionally made from leftover vegetables and stale bread. This version from Ina Garten—which contains beans, pancetta, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, savoy cabbage, kale, basil, chicken stock and bread—is a perfect supper on a cold winter night. Soak and cook the beans (or use canned) and set aside. Cook the pancetta and vegetables. Puree half the beans and add them and the whole beans to the pot. Add water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the cubed bread and simmer for another 10 minutes before serving, topped with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use dried beans or Blue Menu canned white beans. Look for pancetta preserved with celery salt instead of nitrites. Check the red pepper flakes to make sure they don’t contain colour. Unico or Blue Menu canned tomatoes are additive free. I use Imagine organic chicken stock and Ace Bakery bread. Genuine Parmesan is additive- and colour-free—look for the name stamped on the rind.

Serve ribollita topped with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil

Ingredients:

½ pound (226 g) dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini

Kosher salt

¼ cup (60 ml) good olive oil, plus extra for serving

¼ pound (113 g) large diced pancetta or smoked bacon

2 cups (500 ml) chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

1 cup (250 ml) chopped carrots (3 carrots)

1 cup (250 ml) chopped celery (3 stalks)

3 tablespoons (45 ml) minced garlic (6 cloves)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

¼ (1.25 ml) teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce/796 ml) can Italian plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

4 cups (1 L) coarsely chopped or shredded savoy cabbage, optional

4 cups (1 L) coarsely chopped kale

½ cup (125 ml) chopped fresh basil leaves

6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock, preferably homemade

4 cups (1 L) sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed

½ cup (125 ml) freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation:

In a large bowl, cover the dried beans with cold water by 1 inch (2.54 cm) and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 8 cups (2 L) of water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of salt and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their puree, the cabbage, if using, the kale, and basil and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid into a large measuring cup and add enough chicken stock to make 8 cups (2 L). Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and drizzled with olive oil. Serves 8.

From Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa at Home