Zucchini and White Bean Soup
You can turn this soup into a main course by adding pieces of cooked chicken. Small shrimp are another delicious enhancement: cut about 1/2 pound of shelled, cleaned shrimp into 1-inch pieces, and stir them into the pot when the zucchini is tender. Remove from the stove and let the shrimp cook in the residual heat.
Recipe information
Yield
for 6 or 7 cups of finished soup, serving 5 o r 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the broth to a boil, stir in the zucchini, the salt, and grinds of pepper, and return to a gentle boil. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. If you want, cook uncovered for some or all of the time to produce a thicker consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings; serve hot in warm bowls, with freshly grated cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, and other garnishes (page 60). (If you’ve added shrimp, garnishing with olive oil and cheese is optional.)
Bean Basic: Best Bean Types
Step 2
Imported cannellini beans from Tuscany, in particular the hard-to-find Sorana variety, are the ones to use for white-bean soups and any dishes with cannellini. If you can’t find them, substitute any of the small white bean varieties, such as Great Northern, pea beans, or navy beans.
Step 3
The borlotti bean is the Italian red kidney bean and one of my preferred varieties for the hearty bean-and-potato soup base. A close relative is our cranberry bean, a smallish bean with mottled pink skin; it’s a good substitute for the borlotti.
Long-Soaking Beans
Step 4
An overnight soak is the easiest way to rehydrate dried beans before cooking. First pick out any bits of dirt or stones from the beans, then rinse them. Put the beans in a large bowl or pot with cold water covering them by 4 inches or more. Most beans are sufficiently soaked in 8 hours; old beans (from the back of the cupboard, perhaps) take longer. Soak them up to 24 hours, until plump and not wrinkled. Skim off any floating particles, then drain well before cooking—don’t cook beans in the soaking water.
Quick-Soaking Beans
Step 5
If you don’t have time for long-soaking, put the rinsed beans in a large pot with hot water to cover by several inches, and set over high heat. When boiling, cook for 1 minute; remove from the heat, and let the beans sit in the water, uncovered, for 1 hour. Drain, and proceed to cook the beans.
Cooking Beans:
Step 6
Start beans well covered with fresh cold water (as liquid reduces, make sure it always covers the beans). Cook until beans are tender but not falling apart; the time needed varies with age, variety, and size. Cook at a steady but not violent boil, partially covered.
Flavoring and Seasoning Beans
Step 7
Salt and acidic ingredients like tomatoes toughen beans and therefore should not be added to the pot until after the beans are tender; let the beans cook longer or steep with the added ingredients to take in these flavors.
Step 8
Simple flavorings to add to the pot (at the start or at any time during cooking): bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, onions, carrots, and, always, extra-virgin olive oil.
