Ingredients
For the beans:
- 1 ½ cups fresh shelling beans, such as cranberry or cannellini, from about 1 pound in the pod
- 1 small onion, peeled and stuck with clove
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large garlic clove, halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
- Salt and pepper
- ½ pound yellow-fleshed potato, peeled and diced, or use baby potatoes, skin on, halved or quartered
- ¼ pound romano beans, in 1-inch pieces
- ¼ pound yellow wax beans
- ½ pound zucchini or summer squash, chopped, about 2 cups
For the pistou:
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 4 small garlic cloves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces grated Parmigiano, plus extra for serving
- Salt and pepper
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
895 calories; 45 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 30 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 9 milligrams cholesterol; 811 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
4 to 6 servings
Preparation
- Prepare the beans: Put the beans and 5 cups water in a saucepan over high heat. Add onion stuck with clove, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, salt and olive oil. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Leave beans to cool in their own broth. (May be cooked several hours or up to 1 day in advance.)
- Make the soup: Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring until softened and barely browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add potato and 2 cups water to soup pot. Cover and cook until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Add cooked shell beans and bean broth and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, working in batches in a separate pot, blanch Romano beans, wax beans and zucchini in salted water for 1 minute. Spread out to cool on a baking sheet.
- Make the pistou: Put basil, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and pulse to a rough paste. (Alternatively, pound basil and garlic in a stone mortar and stir in oil and cheese.) Stir in about 1/2 cup grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. (Makes about 3/4 cup.)
- To serve, add blanched vegetables to soup pot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle into bowls and add about 2 tablespoons pistou to the center of each bowl. Pass extra grated cheese at the table.
1 hour
Dining and Cooking