Best Greens And Beans Escarole And Beans Soup Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S BEANS AND GREENS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until bubbling and sizzling, about 20 seconds. Pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes.
• Stir in beans; bring to a boil and cook until you can see the tops of the beans just below the surface of the liquid, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in oregano, lemon zest, and anchovy filet. Simmer for 3 minutes.
• Place escarole in bean mixture; reduce heat to low and stir until escarole wilts, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; garnish with red pepper flakes and extra virgin olive oil.

GREENS AND BEANS

Steps:

• Pour enough water into a large pot to be about 2 inches deep; bring to a boil. Stir 1 teaspoon salt into the boiling water; add escarole. Cook the escarole at a boil, pushing the escarole further into the water as it wilts, until it is fork-tender, 3 to 5 minutes; drain.
• Pour olive oil into the pot and place over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in hot oil until the garlic is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir drained escarole and cannellini beans into the garlic mixture; cook and stir until the beans are hot, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the mixture just before serving.

PARMESAN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH HEARTY GREENS

Steps:

• To make the Parmesan broth: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the garlic, cut-sides down, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Parmesan rinds, lemon rinds, thyme and 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the broth tastes full and rich and is reduced by half, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (You will have about 4 cups of broth.) Reserve half the garlic and half the lemon rinds, then strain the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Once cool, the broth will keep for 1 week refrigerated or 3 months in the freezer. If freezing, leave a bit of space between the broth and the lid of the container, as the broth will expand.)
• To make the soup: Squeeze the garlic cloves to release them from the reserved head. Finely chop the reserved lemon rind. In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the garlic cloves and the red-pepper flakes and cook, breaking up the garlic with your spoon, just until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium, add the greens and 1/4 teaspoon of the chopped lemon rind and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the beans and all of the Parmesan broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the greens are silky and the beans and broth are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and taste. Stir in lemon juice and additional lemon rind to taste. (You will not use all the lemon.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with black pepper and grated Parmesan on top.

WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan along with the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Season with the salt and cook, stirring often for about 4 minutes, or until fragrant and soft. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and cannellini beans and stir to combine.
• Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the escarole and stir to wilt. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve topped with a drizzle of the remaining olive oil, fennel pollen and Parmigiano-Reggiano, if using.

ESCAROLE AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth, beans, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over each. Serve with crusty bread.