For a truly vegetarian soup, omit the bacon.
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 10-gram package dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (more if not using bacon)
- 3 ounces pancetta or bacon chopped (optional)
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 1 1/2 cups cabbage or fennel chopped
- 1 cup potato cubed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 796-ml can diced tomatoes diced
- 1 540-ml can white kidney beans drained, rinsed
- 4 cups kale chopped (just the leaves)
- 6 slices italian bread (up to 8 slices), or stale bread, dried in oven
- Carbohydrate 549.4892739434 g
- Cholesterol 118.92 mg
- Fat 78.01480848012 g
- Fiber 161.216724867918 g
- Protein 207.90048571496 g
- Saturated Fat 25.417457772144 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (3450g)
- Sodium 4102.858672796 mg
- Sugar 388.272549075482 g
- Trans Fat 8.74098679061999 g
- Calories 3645 calories
Step-by-step
- In small bowl cover mushrooms with 1/2 c. warm water and let stand 20 min.
- Drain, reserving liquid; chop mushrooms; strain liquid thru cheesecloth.
- In lg. pan heat oil and fry bacon, if using.
- Add onion , garlic carrots, celery, cabbage, potato, spices.
- Cook till softned, stirring frequently.
- Stir in stock, tomatoes, vinegar, mushrooms and soaking liquid.
- Bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
- Stir in kidney beans, and kale and simmer 5 minutes or until kale is tender.
- (Can be made ahead to this point.)
- Ladle soup into 13 x 9 pyrex baking dish.
- Arrange bread slices on top and sprinkle with cheese.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees until bubbling and top is crusty and golden.
- Serve with extra grated cheese.
- Makes 6-8 generous servings, or 8-10 modest servings.
Working with dried porcini mushrooms requires patience, specifically rehydrating them in warm water for twenty minutes to extract their earthy compounds while leaving grit behind in the soaking liquid. Traditional Tuscan potage traditions rely heavily on incremental vegetable softening rather than rapid boiling. When sweating the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, celery, cabbage, and potatoes in oil or rendered pork fat, stir frequently until the aromatics yield completely to pressure. This foundational step builds the umami base necessary before introducing liquids. ### Judging Doneness Without Instruments
Thermal precision is largely unnecessary when visual and textural cues dictate readiness. The simmering phase requires twenty minutes to meld the stock, tomatoes, vinegar, and mushroom extraction. After adding the kidney beans and chopped kale, watch for the greens to collapse and turn a vibrant, deep green after five minutes of gentle heat; crisp stems indicate undercooked fiber. Transferring the mixture to a baking dish topped with stale Italian bread and parmesan requires an oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch the surface closely: the cheese melts completely, marries with the starch of the bread, and forms a golden, bubbling crust that signals the dish is ready for the table. ### Sequencing and Kitchen Efficiency
Real-world kitchen timing benefits from advance preparation. The entire soup base, including the bean and kale addition, can be assembled ahead of time and held before the baking stage. Stale bread works better than fresh loaves because dry crumb absorbs the simmering stock without dissolving into mush. Porcini mushrooms demand careful handling; straining their soaking liquid through cheesecloth prevents residual sand from entering the final broth. Adjust the fat content by adding extra olive oil if omitting the pancetta to maintain mouthfeel.
Thermal precision is largely unnecessary when visual and textural cues dictate readiness. The simmering phase requires twenty minutes to meld the stock, tomatoes, vinegar, and mushroom extraction. After adding the kidney beans and chopped kale, watch for the greens to collapse and turn a vibrant, deep green after five minutes of gentle heat; crisp stems indicate undercooked fiber. Transferring the mixture to a baking dish topped with stale Italian bread and parmesan requires an oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch the surface closely: the cheese melts completely, marries with the starch of the bread, and forms a golden, bubbling crust that signals the dish is ready for the table. ### Sequencing and Kitchen Efficiency
Real-world kitchen timing benefits from advance preparation. The entire soup base, including the bean and kale addition, can be assembled ahead of time and held before the baking stage. Stale bread works better than fresh loaves because dry crumb absorbs the simmering stock without dissolving into mush. Porcini mushrooms demand careful handling; straining their soaking liquid through cheesecloth prevents residual sand from entering the final broth. Adjust the fat content by adding extra olive oil if omitting the pancetta to maintain mouthfeel.
