This might be the best bean soup you have ever eaten because there is a surprise crunch that packs big flavor.  This is an Italian inspired bean soup. You can be sure of that. Cannellini beans, arborio rice, pecorino cheese, but make no mistake about it, the bacon is American. No pancetta here. The bacon flavor is profoundly aromatic and is crumbled up so that each bite gets a little bacon and crunchy rice, and when a tomato is captured in that bite the taste is redesigned comfort food because the tomatoes are not cooked, but added in at the end with just a bit of raw spinach. It’s memorable.  It’s well balanced. It’s the perfect one dish meal, that can be eaten any time of year, but is especially good when tomato season is in full peak and you need yet one more way to use them.

What I most like is that this soup has options. You can just as easily serve this with crunchy bacon laced rice on the side and  include vegetarians.  The spinach and tomatoes are added in uncooked at the end, just before serving, and can be optional. Personally, I like every option.   If you do use spinach, it’s important to add it in raw, as it will wilt as it needs to, but won’t get slimy or disappear.  The color that the tomatoes and spinach bring to this soup enhance not just flavor and texture but visually appeal to that spring/summer desire to eat colorful whole food.  I served it with rosemary bread, using freshly picked rosemary and white whole wheat flour.  Whoever said that comfort food is not healthy?

I entered this in the Royal Foodie Joust, a food contest  hosted by the Left-Over Queen. Last month’s winner Nuria. picked three ingredients, rice, tomatoes and bacon. I think this uses all three beautifully to bring a different kind of life to a good bean soup.

Bean Soup

4 cups dried cannellini beans

2 strips bacon

4 cups chicken broth

1 medium white onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 leeks, sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 carrots, diced

few fresh thyme sprigs (can use rosemary also)

1 handful chopped parsley

olive oil

bay leaf

1 t fennel seed (or 1 cup chopped fennel)

pinch of red chili pepper

(reserve leek, celery, carrot tops for first boil of beans)

grape tomatoes (3 per serving)

course sea salt, pepper to season

Soak beans overnight in large pot. Water should be at least 3 inches higher than beans.

PIck over beans, discarding any that are discolored.

Bring beans to a boil in salted water using carrot tops, . Drain beans. Add to prepared pot below.

In large pot, saute bacon until crisp. Remove, chop finely.

Add in onion, carrot, celery (and fennel if using fresh) and cook until nearly soft.

Add in garlic, cook a minutes, but not browning.

Add in chicken broth. Add in beans that were brought to boil and drained)

Add in fennel seed, parsley, bay leaf, thyme,  red pepper.

Cook for at least two hours. Once beans are cooked through, remove 1/4 to 1/3 and using a blender or immersion blender, blend to a puree. Return to soup. Remove thyme sprigs, bay leaf.

Rice: I used left over risotto made here. HOWEVER, there is a short cut and it’s not necessary to make risotto for this recipe.

Crunchy Rice

Cook  4 slices bacon

Remove, finely chop, divide.

Add cooked rice to pan and stir fry until crisp.

Assembly:

Ladle bean soup into individual bowls. Add in 3-4 grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise  to each serving .

Add in some raw spinach leaves to each bowl. Mix. Top with sprinkle pecorino cheese, crunchy rice and extra bacon bits.

Serve with rosemary bread as seen below. (Recipe tomorrow).

Risotto with bacon

2 T butter, divided

4 slices bacon, chopped  fine

1 medium white onion, or 1 large shallot, finely diced

3/4 cup red wine (you can use white wine also)

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

4 cups chicken broth, hot

1/4 cup pecorino cheese, grated

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 cup grape tomatoes (sliced lengthwise)

Saute bacon until crisp. Remove any bacon residue and bacon grease from pan. Save 1 T of bacon grease.  Saute onion in bacon grease until soft. Add butter if necessary.

Add rice until toasted. Add wine and cook for a few minutes.

Heat broth in a large saucepan on stove and add in very hot broth, one ladle at a time until each ladle has been incorporated.

Add in olive oil,  1 T butter, pecorino cheese, stir.

Add parsley and tomatoes.

Vegetarian Option - Bean Soup with Grape Tomatoes, Raw Spinach, Rosemary Bread

Come back tomorrow for rosemary bread, prepared in five minutes.

Here are some other dishes you may like.

Ribolita                                             Bucatini with Roast Tomatoes    Cauliflower Ravioli with Mushrooms

Key Words:  cannellini beans, rice, risotto, bacon, Italian, tomatoes, gluten free, royal foodie joust, soup

Spinach Tiger Entry  59- Angela Roberts, Bean Soup with Bacon and Crunchy Rice

All original content (outside of adapted recipe) copyright © 2009 Angela Roberts, All Rights Reserved