A VERSION OF RIBOLLITA...

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Hot soup might not seem a likely addition to your repertoire heading into summer, but facing meat shortages even those among us who haven’t readily made attempts to embrace a more plant-based diet may be finding it necessary, at least in the near future. This version of Ribolitta, a spin on the classic Tuscan bread soup, keeps the bread, a la Sally Albright, on the side. (IF you’re scratching your head you need to watch When Harry Met Sally, like right now, stop watching things like Tiger King, please.)

So lets get to it. This is one of those “meal in a bowl” soups and you can make it 100% vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You could also skip the white wine by adding more broth, but why, it adds flavor, I love cooking with wine… let me re-phrase, I love wine.

A VERSION OF RIBOLLITA

2 15 oz. cans of white beans (cannellini, great northern, navy, whatever you have or can find, sometimes they’re just called white beans.)

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

4 to 5 shallots, chopped medium-fine

5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

2 to 3 carrots, 2 if they’re medium/big, 3 if they’re skinny. I actually look for skinnier carrots, I find them to be more tender.

½ cup fresh sage, leaves only, chopped

3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme tied together with kitchen string for easy removal later. No one likes twigs in their soup.

2 bay leaves, fresh if you have them, otherwise dried works too

½ cup sauvignon blanc, or any dry white wine

2 ½ cups good chicken broth

Half a bunch of swiss chard, stems chopped into half inch pieces, leaves rolled and cut chiffonade

To Finish:

¼ cup heavy cream

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Empty beans into a colander and let drain. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and carrots and let cook, stirring often until softened and the shallots are transparent. Add sage, thyme, bay leaves and swiss chard stems and continue cooking for another 3 minutes or so then add the minced garlic, followed by the wine and beans about a minute later. Let that cook down for a couple minutes then add the chicken broth.

Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, then add the swiss chard leaves. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Take off the heat, fish out the bay leaves and thyme stems and add the cream, stirring to combine. Give it a taste and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Ladle yourself a bowl, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top and pair with a nice piece of toast, on the side, for dipping. It’s healthy, meatless, inexpensive and delicious. Enjoy!

HARD CIDER BRAISED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

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The humble little Brussels Sprout, the vegetable nobody knew they loved until they tried them ... again. To be fair, most people didn't like them because they first had them as a kid, boiled to a tasteless mush. Everyone should be well over that by now since Brussels Sprouts are on so many menus as starters, sides, hipster gastro pub appetizers, you name it. The little sprout made a huge comeback. I love them, and what's not to love? They're so cute, like tiny little cabbages. I usually roast them, really simply with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. This is a braised version I first did a few years back for The Beer Magazine where I used a citrusy Pale Ale. I'll post that here sometime but for now, it's nearly Thanksgiving so I did a fall/winter spin on the original recipe and used a more seasonally fitting and friendly hard cider. Use any one you like, and if you don't want to use alcohol (it's just a half cup and cooks out) you can use apple cider exactly the same way.

Hard Cider Braised Brussels Sprouts

2 pounds Brussels Sprouts, sprouts halved

3 slices applewood smoked bacon, cut into lardons

2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup hard cider

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a small dutch oven or large frying pan over medium-low heat, add the bacon, stirring occasionally and cooking until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, because you want to keep the rendered fat in the pan, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. We'll come back to the bacon later. Into the bacon grease add the butter, just do it, you won't be sorry. Once the butter melts, add the shallots and saute until transparent. 

Add the sprouts to the shallot, butter, bacon fat goodness, stirring to coat, and turn the heat up to medium. Stir occasionally and keep an eye on those brussels sprouts, you want some browning but not charring. Once they've taken on a little color, add the hard cider and turn the heat back down to medium-low. Lid goes on but crack it a little to let some steam out. Let them braise for about 5 to 6 minutes then, take the lid off and stir, continue cooking over low heat until most of the liquid is gone. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Off the heat finish by stirring in half the reserved crispy bacon lardons then, using the rest to sprinkle on top. Make a quick, crunchy Panko topping by melting about a teaspoon of butter in a small saute pan over medium heat, adding 2 tablespoons of Panko bread crumbs and toasting to the light brown. There you have it, now go get some brussels sprouts.