White Bean and Tomato Soup

     Beautiful Soup, so rich and green,
     Waiting in a hot tureen!
     Who for such dainties would not stoop?
     Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
             – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

It's mid January and that means it's SOUP TIME! No matter if it's 20 degrees or 80 degrees, January is always soup time to me. I love making a hearty soup on Sunday afternoon to turn that Monday frown upside-down. My husband and I can normally get 2+ nights out of a good pot of soup.

You'll need...

Salt & Pepper (freshly ground is preferred)

Olive Oil

1/2 cup of Farro

1 large onion, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

6 cups of chicken broth (or 3X 14.5 oz cans)

1 can (~15 oz) Great Northern Beans (smaller white beans)

1 can (~15 oz) White Kidney Beans (larger white beans)

1 larger can (28 oz) Diced Tomatoes in Juice

4 cups packed kale mix or hearty greens (I use a packaged blend of baby kale, chard and spinach)

1/2 cup chopped basil 

Step 1 - In a small saucepan, boil a cup and a half of water and add farro. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes covered (10-12 minutes for the fast cook variety). Drain, set aside.

Step 2 - In a dutch over or heavy pot add about a tablespoon of olive oil, toss in the onion and garlic (medium-high heat).

Step 3 - Sauté until the onion is translucent (about 5-7 minutes).

Step 4 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat, add the tomatoes (with their juices),  beans, farro, and salt and pepper to taste (it's okay to be generous). Simmer 10-15 minutes.

Step 5 - Add the kale mix and basil until slightly wilted (only a couple of minutes, a pretty vibrant green color is good). 

Set the table, light some candles (every night is a night for candles), ladle your home-made soup and top with fresh parmesan (best grated fresh) and some yummy croutons/bread or these amazing parmesan crisps (Trader Joe's). 

And don't forget the wine! Bon Appétit!

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