White Bean Soup with Chard
To clean a leek quickly, trim off the dark green tops. Cut the stalk in half lengthwise, leaving the root end intact. Rinse the leek under cold running water, separating the layers to remove any embedded dirt. Prepare as directed, removing the root end.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 1 leek, white part only, halved, rinsed and sliced (see note above)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 oz. portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed and diced
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 4 cups mushroom stock
- 3 oz. Swiss chard, cut into strips 1/2 inch wide
- 2 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Directions:
Sauté the vegetables
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and leek and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
Finish the soup
Add the stock, chard and beans and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the chard is just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Vegetarian, by Dana Jacobi (Oxmoor House, 2007).