By Francesca Montillo, ISDA Food + Travel Writer 

It’s bitterly cold in many parts of the country, and summer seems (and is) a distant mirage. The countdown is on to spring, and while the calendar tells us that we’re only a few months away, January and February are brutally cold months that will feel like they’re stretching on to eternity. And if you’re in the Northeast, like me, March may be the meteorologic start of spring, but Mother Nature usually doesn’t comply.

The only thing positive about winter (in my opinion), is the abundance of soups we get to enjoy. I have soup almost daily in the winter and the warmth they provide are not only for the body, but also the soul. Nothing like sitting down to a steaming bowl or mug full of soup, inhaling the broth and taking it all in.

This soup uses traditional ingredients found in a Tuscan soup, but I don’t dare call it that, as it is not a ribollita. It is not twice cooked, meaning you will be enjoying it that much faster. I love the peasant ingredients used, making this an inexpensive first course that can serve a family on just a few dollars. The addition of potatoes adds thickness, and the addition of cannellini beans add protein, and those leafy greens offer a wealth of nutrients. It’s medicine in a bowl.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

2 medium bunches of Swiss chard, chopped and washed thoroughly

2 15-oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 large carrots, diced/sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 ripe tomatoes, quartered (or 3 tablespoons canned crushed tomatoes)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

1 large vegetarian or chicken bouillon cube (or 8 cups chicken broth)

1 Parmesan rind (Optional)

2 – 3 large potatoes, cut in large chunks

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the Swiss chard to about 2-inch pieces. Wash it thoroughly and set it aside. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and set those aside.
2. In a large soup pan, add the carrots, onion, tomatoes and parsley, and fill the pot ¾ of the way up with water (or stock). Season with salt and pepper, add in the bouillon cube (skip if using stock), and bring everything to a full boil. Add a parmesan rind, if you have one on hand.
3. When the broth is boiling, add in the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add in the chopped Swiss chard and pack it down with a wooden spoon, cook for 10 minutes. Add the cannellini beans, stir well and cook for another 6 – 10 minutes, until beans are soft and tender. Potatoes may break down a bit.
4. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper as needed, and serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Variations: Using the same steps, you can substitute chickpeas or red beans for the cannellini, and escarole, spinach or kale for the Swiss chard.

 

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