Starters & Soups... with Cornish Sea Salt
Olive Mill Soup
From Beaneaters & Bread Soup by Lori De Mori & Jason Lowe, this hearty bean soup recipe is a real winter warmer.
Serves 6
200g dried borlotti or cranberry beans, soaked overnight in cold water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
500g cavolo nero or kale, ribs removed, leaves cut into strips
250g radicchio or chicory, coarsely chopped
200g butternut or acorn squash, cut into small chunks
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
Pinch of fennel seeds
1 thyme sprig
To serve
6 slices day-old country bread
2 garlic cloves, peeled
Best quality olive oil (freshly pressed if possible) to drizzle
Method
Drain the beans and place in a large cooking pot with 2 litres water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 1½ hours. Season with salt towards the end of the cooking time.
Set aside a ladleful of beans. Pass the rest of the beans and the cooking liquid through a mouli (hand mill) or puree using a hand-held stick blender.
In a separate pan, warm 4 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook over a medium heat until soft and fragrant, adding a bit of water to the pan from time to time to keep the vegetables from browning.
Add the pureed beans with their liquor and bring to a simmer. Add the cabbage or kale, radicchio or chicory, squash, potatoes and tomatoes. Add the fennel seeds and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring in the reserved whole beans towards the end.
When ready to serve, toast the bread and lightly rub with garlic. Lay a slice in each warm soup bowl. Ladle the bean soup on top, drizzle generously with olive oil and serve.
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