Time 40m Yield 4 servings Number Of Ingredients 14 Steps:
Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the onion, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. Reduce heat to medium and add 1/4 cup black olives, 1 tablespoon capers and the garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and sugar, and cook over medium heat until mixture is bubbling and tomatoes have thickened slightly, 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, cannellini beans, red-pepper flakes and stock; stir and cover. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. As potatoes cook, prepare the topping for your soup: Place the remaining 1/4 cup olives, 1 tablespoon capers and the parsley on a cutting board, and chop everything together. Once the potatoes are tender, add the balsamic vinegar. Using the back of a large wooden spoon, roughly crush or mash about a quarter of the potatoes and beans against the side of the pot. This will thicken the soup. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the caper-olive-parsley topping. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. This soup can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. This will deepen the flavors.
Time 30m Yield 4 servings Number Of Ingredients 7 Steps:
Peel the garlic, then smash the cloves using a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy skillet until wispy and flat. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil, then add the crushed garlic, and cook, smashing with the back of a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until golden brown and beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the white beans and their liquid, crushed tomatoes, stock or water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then partly cover, reduce heat, and let simmer until thickened and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Using an immersion or regular blender, purée the soup until smooth. Add cream or stock or water to thin as desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with heavy cream before serving.
Yield Makes 4 (side dish) servings Number Of Ingredients 9 Steps:
Cook anchovies, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until anchovies dissolve, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with olives and capers and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer 3 minutes. Add basil.
Yield Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings Number Of Ingredients 13 Steps:
For soup: Place Great Northern beans in large pot. Pour enough water over beans to cover by 4 inches. Let soak overnight. Drain beans and return to pot. Pour enough water over beans to cover by 4 inches. Add 2 bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and fresh rosemary sprigs and simmer uncovered until beans are barely tender, about 30 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in another large pot over medium heat. Add russet potato pieces and sauté until brown in spots, about 8 minutes. Add half of garlic and sauté until beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add 6 cups chicken st0ock and boil until potato pieces are falling apart, about 10 minutes. Pour beans and cooking liquid into potato mixture. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer just until beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Season soup generously with salt and pepper. (Soup can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing, thinning with additional chicken stock if necessary.) For parmesan oil: Blend 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup olive oil in processor until smooth. (Parmesan oil an be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover oil and refrigerate.) Stir 2 bunches arugula into soup. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining chopped garlic and dried crushed red pepper; sauté until golden. Add to soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir Parmesan oil into soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
