It is still Winter and so we still need comfort food. I woke up yesterday and found my garden covered by a thick frost even though the day before was glorious and bright. A balmy 10 degrees which is astonishing for February. My friend Clare and I, took a walk around the Mill Pond and it was so nice we did a double lap and were almost tricked into thinking summer was coming.
But just because we still need two duvets on the bed, it doesn't mean we shouldn't start thinking about Spring and shedding our "Winter Coat" as my fiance kindly puts it, especially when we are hiding inside in the evenings and temptations are rife, and on the subject of temptations, we have friends coming over for dinner tonight. Last night we went out for dinner, so to atone for the Sticky Toffee Pudding I gorged upon at 'Silks on the Downs' in Ogbourne St Andrew, I think I'm going to make my Ribollita.
This is a classic, rustic, Italian soup, almost a stew, and therefore we shall call it a Stoup. It is so warming and inviting but basically it is vegetables and beans, no fats, with the exception of some olive oil, and as long as you don't go over board with bread dunking you should feel gloriously satisfied and angelic after eating it.
Use whatever vegetables you have lying around for this recipe, my veg box is heaving with carrots and cabbage so I'll be using those as the basis for my stoup.
This makes enough for four very generous servings but you can hold some back for lunches which is much better for your health and mood than a limp sandwich at your desk.
Your Ribollita Shopping List.
1 tablespoon of Olive Oil and extra for drizzling
1 tablespoon of Sunflower Oil
1 medium Onion or 3 Shallots
2 Cloves of Garlic or 1 teaspoon of Garlic Puree
2 Medium Carrots, washed, peeled and chopped into rounds
1 Fresh Beetroot or any other vegetables you need to use up, washed, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of Thyme
2 Medium Potatoes, washed, peeled and diced
1 tin of tomatoes
1 medium cabbage, kale or cavolo nero roughly chopped
150g of white beans, canned or re hydrated from dry.
1 litre of water
1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
Sea Salt
Chunky Slices of bread to serve
Chopped Parsley to garnish
Ribollita Recipe
If you are using dried beans, get these re hydrating the moment you consider doing this recipe. Most instructions will tell you to leave them soaking overnight but if you put them in a bowl and cover them with warm water on your way out the door in the morning, they'll be ready for when you get home from work.
Holland & Barrett sell a dried bean mix which is great for this recipe and I pick out the kidney beans before re hydrating them.
So, start by heating the olive oil and sunflower oil in your largest,heaviest, pan and throw in the onions or shallots. Sweat them on a low heat until they start to become clear not brown. Peel and chop the garlic cloves or add a teaspoon of garlic puree.
After a few minutes, add the peeled, washed and chopped carrots to the pot along with your beetroot. If you are using celery, now would be the time to pop it in as well. At this point, if you are free styling with your vegetable choices, go for any roots such as Jerusalem artichokes, turnips or swede.
Let these vegetables soften down on a low heat for five minutes and keep them moving. If they start to brown in really effects the colour of the finished soup.
When the vegetables have softened a bit, throw in the herbs along with the peeled and diced potatoes and leave to soften again for a few minutes. Now its time to add your tin of tomatoes and leave to cook for ten minutes, again, keep it moving so it doesn't catch the bottom of the pan.
Now, add whatever roughly chopped greens you are using and your beans, along with 1 litre of water and 1 litre of chicken stock. You can use vegetable stock to make this dish vegetarian. Season to taste with some sea salt and bring to the boil.
This isn't a dish that needs watching constantly, once it has reached a boil, immediately lower the heat, cover and leave to simmer for two hours. Visit it every half and hour or so to stir and have a good whiff of the thyme and garlic but mainly go and get on with something else.
My living room is a tip, so I'll clean that up and do some knitting with a cup of tea whilst it is simmering away.
Once the beans are soft and the veggies are cooked, check the seasoning and add more salt and a bit of pepper if you fancy it and switch on your oven to around 180C. You'll need a good Cast Iron or Pyrex pot for this bit. I use my Le Creuset dish which I just couldn't live without. In the bottom of said oven-proof dish, layer some chunky bits of bread like baguette or pain de campagne and then ladle your finish Ribollita over the bread. At this point, pull the bay leaf or bits of thyme twig out if you see them.
Once all the soup is in the oven proof dish over the bread, it needs around 15 minutes in the oven to warm through and to help the bread absorb the soupiness.
Chop up some fresh parsley and stir through your soup before serving straight away with lots of bread and butter and maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan or Pecorino if you are feeling saucy.
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