Borlotti Beans
I like to think of borlotti beans as the jelly beans of the savoury world. This Italian import is very different in taste and texture to any jelly bean I've eaten! The magenta-flamed pods caught my eye as I walked through the local market and I just couldn't fight the intrigue. Their leathery pods peel apart to release a fresh smell and reveal the treasure; glossy, speckled beans. I scooped handfuls of pods into a brown paper bag and skipped (yes, skipped) along to the checkout. I knew exactly what I would do with them…
I got home, excitedly harvested the beans from their shells and boiled up a lovely Borlotti Bean and Porcini Soup. The beans are nutty, earthy and sweet but there is more to them than a hearty flavour. Like most beans, borlotti's are little gems of iron, potassium, fibre and energy! Cannellini beans are the cousin to this cutie and they're just as good for you, but remember to soak any dried beans overnight before use.
Borlotti Bean and Porcini Soup
BY now, you probably all know how much I enjoy curling up with a big bowl of freshly boiled soup. This soup was full of new things for me to try; borlotti beans, dried porcini mushrooms and silverbeet leaves. I was excited to try these ingredients in such a simple, wholesome way. The hearty beans, rich mushrooms and slivers of garlic are bound together in a sweet broth. It's a balanced, flavoursome soup that will definitely hit the spot on a cold night.
What you'll need:
3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
20g porcini mushrooms
2 litres of chicken stock
400g can white beans, drained and rinsed
200g borlotti beans, soaked overnight and drained before use
1 bunch of silverbeet leaves, chopped roughly
6 slices of sourdough or ciabatta
1 garlic clove, chopped finel
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
What to do:
Put the sliced garlic, mushrooms and stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add the silverbeet and let them cook for a further 2 minutes. (If you aren't going to serve the soup right away, just add the silverbeet and set aside. Reheat the soup later.)
Preheat the grill and line a baking tray with paper. Place the bread on top and grill both sides until they are just crunchy. Spread the parsley oil over one side of each slice of bread and sprinkle the cheese on top of that. Grill until the cheese has melted. Serve with hot soup and enjoy!
Broccoli & Cheddar Soup
SOMETIMES, you just need a big bowl of soup to warm you up, comfort you or hydrate you. In winter, I find myself wanting soup very often and I have a few tried and trusted recipes which are always satisfying. My mum makes an infamous and totally delicious potato and leek soup but no matter what, it never tastes as good when I make it! We all have those family recipes that never taste quite as good when we replicate it. I think this might be my soup although I can't take all the credit; I was inspired to make it after tasting the flavour combination at Dannyboy's.
Yesterday was a cold and rainy one so I dug through the 'Recipe Ideas' folder in my mind and plucked this one out. It seemed to be filed at the front and I am so glad because, just quietly, it is scrumptious! The broccoli takes on a whole new, subtle flavour and the dish is very balanced. The cheddar just gives it a bit of bite but it is not too rich or overpowering. The tiny broccoli leaves which dot the soup are a fun textural component to such a smooth, creamy soup. It is definitely a new favourite which will be keeping me healthy and hydrated this winter!
What you'll need:
250g broccoli, broken apart into little trees
200g sharp cheddar, grated
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1L chicken stock
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Ciabatta or a baguette, sliced and toasted
What to do:
Heat some olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan and fry the onion and garlic. Add the butter and flour, whisking until you have a glossy mixture. Continue to whisk as you add all of the stock.
Add the broccoli and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring every now and then, until a knife can glide through a broccoli stalk. Once cooked, blend the mixture. I used a stick blender but you can use a normal one - just take care when spooning the hot mixture into the blender's jug. If you're having bread with the soup, stick it under the grill now... and try not to forget it! (It happens a little more than I'd like to admit!)
Once blended, return to the stove over medium heat and add the milk and cream. Sprinkle in the cheese and stir in a figure eight motion until the cheese has melted and the soup is steaming hot. Season with salt and pepper. Rescue your bread from the oven when it's crunchy.
Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and some toast. Enjoy!
