Monday, February 28, 2011

Navy Bean, Tomato, and Spinach Soup

I know what you're thinking: Yuck. But trust me! This soup is heavenly! Dave and I have resolved to go half-time vegetarian. So this was a hit on our list of new menu items. Adapted from the Jan-Feb 2010 issue of Mothering Magazine:

Navy Bean, Tomato, and Spinach Soup

1 c dried navy beans (soaked overnight)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 Portobello mushroom, gills removed, diced small (I used mini portobellos. Same diff.)
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
4 c vegetable stock, bean-cooking liquid, or mixture of both
1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes
3 oz baby spinach, chopped rough
salt and fresh-ground pepper

Soak navy beans in 4 cups water, 6 hrs to overnight. Drain and rinse. Place beans in a 4-qt pot with bay leaf and over with 3 inches water. Bring to simmer, and cook until beans become tender to the bite but are not falling apart. Depending on age of beans, cooking time can range from 30-90 min. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to beans and let cook about 5 min more to absorb. Set beans aside in their cooking liquid.

Heat olive oil in 4-qt soup pot over medium heat. When hot, add diced onion and mushroom. Cook 4-5 min, until vegetables soften around edges. Add garlic and rosemary. Cook 2 minutes more, adjusting heat as needed to avoid too much browing.

Combine any remaining bean-cooking liquid with veg stock to make 3 1/2 c. Add to pot tomatoes, cooked beans, and liquid. Bring to low simmer and cook about 15 min, or until well flavored. If soup seems too thick, add last 1/2 c of stock. Add spinach* and cook until just wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I omitted the spinach, just because I don't like wilted spinach in my soup the next day.


Enjoy!

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