Cannellini bean and pancetta soup with swiss chard
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
• 1 cup dry cannellini beans, picked over, broken beans discarded,
or 2 14-oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves plus 1 sprig for beans, divided
• 2 dried bay leaves, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 oz thick-cut hot pancetta, chopped into 1⁄4-inch dice
• 1 cup small diced leek, white and light green part only
• 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 carrots)
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 6 cups sodium-reduced chicken broth
• 1⁄2 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, cut into chiffonade (about 3 cups)
• Grated Romano cheese for garnish
Preparation
Soak cannellini beans in a large bowl covered with 2 inches of cold water for 12 hours or over-night. Drain and rinse beans.
Place beans in a medium pot with 1 sprig of rosemary and 1 bay leaf and cover with 2 inches of water. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until beans are tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove bay leaf and rosemary; drain beans and set aside. Beans can be cooked one day in advance, cooled and refrigerated in their cooking liquid until needed.
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until fat has rendered and pancetta is golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add leek, carrots, garlic and chopped rosemary to pancetta oil and cook over medium heat until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add remaining bay leaf and chicken broth, scraping any flavourful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add drained beans and simmer for 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Add Swiss chard and cook for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
Serve in warmed soup bowls garnished with freshly grated Romano cheese.
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