Tuscan Ribollita with Meadowlark Mill's Organic Cranberry Beans
As the days grow shorter and the evenings more chilly, we all appreciate an excuse to reach for the more comforting things in life: recipes that really stick to you in a cold stretch. In this rendition of a ribollita, Meadowlark Mill's Organic Cranberry Beans provide a creamy, rich backbone for the Tuscan classic.
Shop Meadowlark's beans, flours and other products on their website at meadowlarkorganics.com.
Ingredients
For the Bean Pot (yields about 6 cups cooked beans + liquid)
1 pound Meadowlark Community Mill cranberry beans, picked through and soaked for 6 to 12 hours
1 medium yellow onion, halved
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 large sprig rosemary
2 dried chili peppers (optional)
1 cup olive oil
For the Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces diced pancetta (optional)
2 cups small-diced yellow onion
1 cup small-diced carrot
1 cup small-diced celery
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
6 cups cooked Meadowlark Mill Organic Cranberry Beans, with reserved cooking liquid
1 pound lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped
2 tablespoons butter
½ sourdough bâtard or other crusty bread, torn into large croutons, toasted
To finish: lemon, olive oil, chili flakes, and Sarvecchio or Parmesan cheese
Directions
For Bean Pot
Pick through the beans, remove any stones, and place in a large container; cover with a few inches of water and leave to soak for 6 to 12 hours.
Strain the beans and place in a large pot, covering with two inches of water. Bring to a rolling boil for ten minutes before reducing the heat to low. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary, and chili peppers, if using. Cook for up to 90 minutes, adding water as needed to ensure the beans are always covered with liquid during the cooking process.
After 45 minutes, pick a few beans from the pot and gently squeeze to see if they are soft; we are looking for plump and tender, which may take up to 90 minutes or more. Season with salt and leave to cool, ensuring that the beans are covered by enough liquid. Finish with a generous amount of olive oil.
For Stew
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat and, if using, render the pancetta until slightly crisp. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and salt. Reduce the heat to medium low and sweat the vegetables until soft. If needed, add a touch of water, white wine or stock to prevent the vegetables from browning too much during this process. Add the crushed tomatoes and raise the temperature to medium high. Cook until the liquid from the tomatoes is beginning to reduce.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock followed by half of the beans and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the beans are warm and the stock has slightly reduced. Using a stick blender, pulse the mixture little by little until you have pureed about a third of the stew.
Add the kale and the remainder of the beans. Simmer until the kale is wilted and beans are warmed through. Stir in the butter and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as desired. If the stew is too thick, thin with leftover bean cooking liquid.
To serve, place the croutons into a soup bowl and ladle over the ribollita. Finish each bowl by seasoning with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of chili flakes, and a generous grating of Parmesan.
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