Adapted from 101cookbooks.com, recipe by Heidi Swanson
Serves 4
This is one of those recipes that reminds me of how great a simple recipe can be. I”ve made this several times and love it. The author notes that you may or may not be making your own stock; if not go ahead and used boxed or canned stock from the grocery store. If you have some beans cooked from dried that’s awesome but if not, no worries if you use canned beans. For the vegans out there just skip the Parmesan and youíre in business! This is a great one for those chilly, windy winter nights and is even better for lunch the next day.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
A big pinch of salt
1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups stock (homemade or store bought, chicken or vegetable stocks)
1 1/2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
More good-quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Warm the tablespoon of olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and potatoes. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes – it’s o.k. to uncover to stir a couple times. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage softens up a bit. Now adjust the seasoning – getting the seasoning right is important or your soup will taste flat and uninteresting. Taste and add more salt if needed, the amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your stock is (varying widely between brands, homemade, etc). Serve the soup in warmed bowls drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous dusting of cheese. Enjoy!