Chilled Tuscan Bean Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 ounces cabbage, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 firmly packed cups)
• 4 ounces zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced
• 1 cup canned roma tomato, drained
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small celery rib, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or 1/4 t. dried rosemary, crumbled)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt, to taste
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups beef broth (or more)
• 1/2 lb small great northern bean
• 6 slices italian bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• parmesan cheese, for topping soup

Recipe

• 1 heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• 2 add onion and garlic and saute 2 to 3 minutes.
• 3 abb cabbage, zucchini,leeks,tomatoes,carrots,celery, rosemary,red pepper flakes, and salt and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.
• 4 add water, 2 cups beef broth and beans and bring to a boil.
• 5 reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• 6 puree soup in batches in blender; chill several hours or up to 1 week.
• 7 to serve, thin soup with additional broth, if desired.
• 8 toast bread;rub lightly with cut sides of garlic clove.
• 9 brush bread with most of remaining olive oil.
• 10 ladle soup into individual bowls.
• 11 top with a crouton and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
• 12 place several drops of remaining olive oil into each bowl and serve.