Tuscan Bean Stew

100 Recipes by America's Test Kitchen (#80 p270)

Soak Beans
Soak for 8-24 hours
1 lbs dried cannellini or great northern beans
4 qt water
3 T salt
Sauté
  • Oven to 250°, lower-middle rack.
  • Sauté over med until brown and rendered, 6-10 min.
  • If pancetta is not available, substitute 4 slices of bacon.
6 oz pancetta, diced 1/4 inch
Lightly brown, 10-16 min.
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, sliced 1/2 inch
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/2 inch
Until fragrant, ~30 sec.
8 cloves garlic, smashed
Simmer
  • Bring to simmer over high, cover, and put in oven.
  • Cook until beans are almost tender, 45-60 min.
4 c chicken broth
3 c water
2 bay leaves
previously soaked beans
Add and return to oven, 30-40 min.
1 lbs kale or collards, stemmed, chopped 1 inch
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
Finish
  • Remove from oven, add rosemary, cover for 15 min.
  • Discard rosemary and bay leaves.
1 sprig rosemary
Vegetarian Version
Replace pancetta with mushrooms and chicken broth with water.
  • Microwave until steaming, ~1 min.
  • Strain liquid through coffee filter in fine mesh strainer. Add liquid to soup.
  • Mince mushrooms and add along with vegetable broth.
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 c water
Use this instead of the chicken broth and 3 c water.
3 c vegetable broth
4 1/2 c water