1.02.2011

Cranberry Bean, Lacinato Kale and Pasta Soup


I'm not the soup-maker my sister is, but every once in a while I like to make a big batch of soup and portion it out for freezing...what's left anyway, after enjoying it for a couple days. I'm thinking healthy is where I want to be right now after all the rich food since Thanksgiving and this soup fits the bill perfectly.


Luisa at
The Wednesday Chef posted this a few years back and I copied it. I forgot all about it until I read something recently about cranberry beans. So I dug it out, ordered some cranberry beans from Rancho Gordo and made it for my daughter on a cold Florida day. First, I discovered cranberry beans taste marvelous all by themselves. (Testing them for doneness was a treat.) Then, knowing kale is one of Tracy's favorite veggies made it a perfect match and I had both leeks and 
orecchiette pasta in the house. 
Luisa suggests cooking a fresh portion of pasta each time you serve the soup but I didn't and I froze some portions as well. She's right of course, and it makes for a better soup, but it's rather time consuming when you're in a hurry.

You'll see after reading the recipe there is a divine spiced bean purée
 to dollop on top and then mix into the soup. Wow. The flavors! This puree MAKES the soup. The first photo shows the bean puree before mixing it in. I think it makes a nice presentation; then you can serve the Parmesan on the side. The last photo was taken after we mixed in the purée. 
You're going to love this one!

Cranberry Bean, Lacinato Kale and Pasta Soup
From The Wednesday Chef


Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 1/2 tablespoons, divided
2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced, about 2 cups
2 medium carrots, finely chopped, about 1 cup
1 onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
3 cups dried cranberry beans or Good Mother Stallards, if you're lucky enough to have some hanging around the house
Kosher salt
2 bunches lacinato kale, cleaned, stemmed and coarsely chopped, about 10 cups
3 cups dried orecchiette pasta (about 9 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh minced sage
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method:

In a 4-quart soup pot or cast iron casserole (with a lid that fits), heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook the leeks, carrots and onions over medium-low heat until just softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the dried beans and 12 cups of water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with the lid, stirring occasionally. 



After about 45 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Continue to cook, covered, and again stirring occasionally, just until the beans are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour or more (this may vary according to the beans you use).

With a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the beans and, separately, 2 tablespoons of bean liquor and set both aside. Add the kale to the soup, stirring in a few cups at a time as the greens wilt. Cover, and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes more until the greens are tender, then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve.

In a food processor, combine the reserved beans and bean liquor, sage, parsley, paprikas and lemon juice, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, then check for seasoning, adding more salt if desired, or bean liquor to aid in blending.

Just before serving, stir the cooked pasta into the soup. 





Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of spiced bean purée. Grate Parmesan over the top of each bowl to taste and serve immediately. Serves 8-10.

68 comments:

  1. Lovely soup! Perfect to clean the body and cure a bad cold!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful soup Barbara.

    ReplyDelete
  3. There will be lots of soups on the menu this month. Cold weather plus too much rich food for the holiday make soup the perfect tummy warming meal.

    I've never gotten around to ordering beans from Rancho Gordo - I think I better check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a healthy and delicious way to start off 2011! I love the sound of that spiced bean puree...delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  5. There are going to be lots of soup pots on the stove in the next month in my home too. This one sounds very similar to one of my favorite minestrone recipes except for the cranberry beans. I've never had them or Good Mother Stallard beans and now I'm going to look for them!

    A perfectly delicious meatless meal!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I need to make soup! I don't eat kale but it might be tolerable in a soup. Definitely worth trying.

    Nisrine

    ReplyDelete
  7. This looks delicious! I wonder if Eye of the Goat beans would work? Of should I just order some cranberry beans. I love having Rancho Gordo as a resource for lovely legumes!

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like a wonderful soup. Love those Rancho Gordo beans!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is such a comforting soup and I am sure the addition of this puree sure elevated the flavor.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What nice soup Barbara, have a lovely day! gloria

    ReplyDelete
  11. You sound like me Barbara, I'm not much of a soup maker. I think because it makes so much for my small family and I have to freeze the rest. I have never heard of cranberry beans...and you know what that means...looks like I'll have to order some for myself and try them. I can't believe you haven't made this before now...lol! It looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy 2011, Barbara! The soup looks perfect! Just the way I love. Btw, I thought you're putting in cranberries & beans at first. Then I realized you're actually using cranberry beans! :D Hope you're enjoying your day.
    Blessings, Kristy

    ReplyDelete
  13. This does look like a great recipe to follow the season of overindulgence. And I can't say enough about Rancho Gordo beans! I gave some away for Christmas. Good Mother Stallards are my favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Barbara - I am still reading all your posts and wanted to leave a note when I saw this - I just ordered some Rancho Gordo beans for myself for Christmas, including Good Mother Stallards, and I haven't known exactly what to do with them - until now! This looks perfect. ( :

    ReplyDelete
  15. This looks like a great soup with lots of healthful ingredients. :) I may try this one for a soup swap later this month- it looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a great mix of flavors! It looks like my favorite kind of soup, healthy and robust.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Soup, beautiful soup! I'm with you... I need low calorie comfort after what I've eaten oven the holidays.

    I love the way fresh cranberry beans look... they are little works of art... sadly the color fades completely when you cook them! Really delish recipe with so many good flavors.. cranberry beans are a great flavor and those Rancho Gordos have the best beans.

    Here's wishing you a great 2011, lovely Barbara!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy New Year Barbara! This soup looks wonderful. Perfect to take off the winter chill!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love the puree idea!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a great looking soup! Has such delicious flavors, love the addition of the puree! Definitely saving this to make soon!

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  21. With the heavy holiday fare and winter's chill upon us, this healthy soup is just what I need! It looks fantastic! Wishing you and yours a very happy New Year, Barbara!

    ReplyDelete
  22. i'm working hard to eat healthier lately, and this looks like a way to do that without losing any flavor at all. delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  23. That looks like a hearty soup... have never heard of those beans, will have to check them out.
    I'm looking forward to an assortment of soups in the next months!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your soup sounds incredible with cranberry beans! I love the paprika in it too, excellent flavors!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Barbara,

    this soup sounds really yummy, but really it is not soup weather here.
    More like salads and cold food.
    Will have to keep this in mind for winter time.

    Happy New Year
    Hugs
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  26. Barbara, This soup looks wonderful and just what I need after a cold, snowy, rainy and miserable New York.
    Love the new banner. I've been awol so I have alot of catching up to do!
    Happy New Year!
    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  27. I adore Luisa and those cranberry beans from Rancho Gordo are awesome, aren't they? I got some this summer and couldn't wait for chilly weather so I could make a big pot of soup!

    Happy New Year, Barbara!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Delicious looking soup, chock full of goodies! And hey, I love that adorable packaging on those beans, so cool and retro (I am a sucker for a lovely package :)).
    *kisses* HH

    ReplyDelete
  29. Every year I order an array of Rancho Gordo Beans to give in gift baskets, stuff into stockings, and restock in my pantry. They are all so so good---delicious on their own, too. I really like the Mother Stallards---and this soup is perfect winter fare.

    Wishing you all the best in 2011, Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is my kind of soup!!! Love the beans!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. This looks hearty and delicious! Love beans! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love this type of soup, but have never heard of cranberry beans. I'll have to order some and try this recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  33. this looks great never heard of those beans before

    hope I get to meet you in person one day :-)

    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  34. Now, that is a bowl of love. Nutritious, delicious and economical... beautiful, too... lots of nuggets of goodness to fish for and a great variety of textures. YUM!
    Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love soups, and that little splash of lemon juice in your recipe sounds a great addition!

    ReplyDelete
  36. although a bean puree is rarely what i'd call attractive, it's almost always tasty. lovely soup!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Soup is my favorite cool weather food- can't wait to try this one Barbara. It looks delicious and healthy too, which will be a plus after all the holiday foods!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Soup is on our menus this month. Looks like another cool Florida Winter. I will try this one. It sounds intriguing. Thanks Barbara.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hello Sweet Friend!

    This soup looks amazing and I love the graphics on the packaging!!

    Happy New Year Sweet Friend, thank you for being such a wonderful friend to me...I adore you!
    xoxo
    Karyn

    ReplyDelete
  40. That is one amazing bowl of soup! I'm intrigued by the bean puree - it's so unique - I love the idea!

    ReplyDelete
  41. That looks like a big bowl of comfort! :D Cranberry beans are completely new to me, I must look them up and see if I can get them here :)

    ReplyDelete
  42. What a nourishing soup. I adore Ranch Gordo beans. Steve Sando actually made me a bean lover. I hadn't been before trying all his wonderful heirloom varieties.

    ReplyDelete
  43. BARBARA!!!! Happy New Year dearest! THIS SOUP LOOKS PERFECT for our COLD Minnesota nights.....BRRRRRR....it was only one degree yesterday at NOON!!! But your soup would satisfy me anytime. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON OVER and wishing me a happy new year....I hope that your new year will hold more love and friendships and that you will have great success in all things. You are so kind to comment. I had a wonderful two week break from school, but this week, I returned back to my classroom. Oh, I am already looking forward to SPRING BREAK because the construction on my two room addition is almost complete and I want to play house!!!

    Much love, Anita

    ReplyDelete
  44. I love soup - but it's way too hot here to think about it :)
    Happy New Year Barbara!! I hope you had a fantastic year and I'm looking forward to sharing more.
    Cheers
    Anita

    ReplyDelete
  45. I love the sound of this soup. Never heard of cranberry beans before, they look so pretty! Must loo out for some. Healthy is definitely foremost on my mind at the moment too :)

    ReplyDelete
  46. I love soup with kale in it! This looks absolutely delicious :)

    Sues

    ReplyDelete
  47. i love how comforting this soup looks... and the flavors are just amazing! thanks for sharing this and have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  48. This sounds like a lovely soup to begin the New Year. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and that the new year brings all measure of good things your way. Blessings...Mary

    ReplyDelete
  49. So delicious, Barbara! Although I'm enjoying my travels immensely, I'm so looking forward to lazy days at home, tucked up with books and steaming bowls of soup like this. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  50. This makes me want to order some cranberry beans. They look fantastic! The bean puree sounds great too. I love a soup with beans and greens.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Lucky you with Rancho Gordo beans hanging around the house... Wish I had gotten those in my stocking... This soup has all my favorite things - beans, kale and pasta! Together they are a taste sensation! Happy New Year and Happy Cooking in 2011!

    ReplyDelete
  52. oh what a delicious soup!

    ReplyDelete
  53. Sounds like a great, hearty soup to start off 2011!

    ReplyDelete
  54. I just love pasta cooked in soup, this soup look delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Sucjh an intriguing soup to start the New Year!! I love pasta in soups, makes it a meal!

    ReplyDelete
  56. If I were living in mostly balmy weather like Florida...I really don't think I'd be brewing up mega pots of soup either ;o)
    This said, I make all kinds of soup all the time!
    I was aware of so many legume varieties...yet this one slipped right by me...I will certainly look into it ;o)

    Barbara...always a pleasure to come for a visit and I really wish you and your loved ones the very best in this newest year ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

    ReplyDelete
  57. Mmmm...I juts love. Your soup looks so inviting and delicious. Would be perfect to keep away the cold here :D

    ReplyDelete
  58. Happy New Year Barbara
    Even though we don't have snow and 48 degrees is cold to us,we are a soup family during the winter months, so I'll add this to my collection of your recipes.
    Mimi

    ReplyDelete
  59. This soup is wonderful; the purée is the same idea as our cilantro pesto which we add at the end to "wake up" the flavors, or as Emeril Lagasse would say "give it a kick". I love the cranberry beans too.

    ReplyDelete
  60. That is a truly beautiful soup! Hope you are having a great start to 2011!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Hey Barbara, this is one of the soups I grew up with, so seeing it literally made my stomach growl with want. Yours looks so wonderful. Maybe you should start being the soup siser (smile)...

    ReplyDelete
  62. That's a very healthy and delicious soup!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Angie

    ReplyDelete
  63. WOW this soup is right up my alley! I love kale and it looks fantastic in a soup with cranberry beans and pasta!

    ReplyDelete
  64. cranberry beans??? never in my life heard of them. Now I am intrigued! Delightful soup Barbara.

    ReplyDelete
  65. great soup for a day like this one in Atlanta where it's snowing! I looove Rancho Gordo!

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails