My love affair with fresh shell beans started at a farm stand piled high with borlotti bean pods. Bringing sacks of them home, I split each pod open to pop out the pretty pink and white beans—about a cup’s worth for every pound of pods.
Simmered in salted water, the fresh beans took only 30 minutes to cook to creamy tenderness (!) So quick, compared with the overnight soaks and long cook times necessary with dried beans. Add to this their mildly nutty flavor and good protein content (15 grams per cup) and you’ll understand why I fill my vegetable-packed minestrone with fresh shelled borlotti beans whenever I get the chance.
Fresh shell beans are in peak season late summer through fall, but grocery stores may randomly have them fresh (and frozen) at other times of the year. Beyond borlotti (which are also known as cranberry beans,) the shell bean family includes other velvety varieties: lima, and cannellini, for example, which would also work well in this satisfyingly nutritious soup. And if you can’t find these beans fresh, canned will also work as a substitute.
Borlotti Bean Minestrone with Basil Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- FOR THE MINESTRONE:
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped to make 2 cups
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 slender carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 zucchini, medium diced to make 1 ½ cups
- 1 ½ cups fresh borlotti beans shelled from 1 ½ pounds borlotti bean pods
- 5 cups high quality chicken or vegetable stock plus 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 good sized kale leaves (either curly or Tuscan are fine) stems removed, leaves chopped to make 2 cups
- FOR THE BASIL WALNUT PESTO
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- Spritz of fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- GARNISH:
- Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Small cruet of olive oil
Instructions
- MAKE MINESTRONE: In a heavy-bottomed stock pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion, leeks and garlic and cook for five minutes. Add celery and carrots and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes and zucchini and cook for five more minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Add borlotti beans, stock and 1 cup water. Heat to boiling. Immediately reduce heat to simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 30 minutes. (NOTE: if you are using a can of beans, rinse them before adding and reduce simmer time 15 minutes.) Smoosh tomatoes against side of pot to pop them. Stir soup and continue cooking another 10 minutes until soup flavors have melded well. Finish soup by stirring in chopped kale leaves and cooking another 5 to 10 minutes or just until kale is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- MAKE BASIL WALNUT PESTO: While soup simmers, place basil, walnuts and garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil and parmesan and pulse again. Add lemon zest and pulse to incorporate. Season with spritz of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl a dollop of pesto into each bowl. Serve soup with more grated parmesan, a cruet of olive oil, and a loaf of crusty bread to dip into soup.
No Comments