White Bean Swiss Chard Soup
from http://www.yogashelterrecipes.com/

White Bean Swiss Chard Soup

FMM: This looks like a quick and very simplified version of Ribollita, a Tuscan bean soup first found in print in 1891 and copied many times. It does not have the bread used as a thickener in Ribollita, or some of the other vegetables. Serving with Italian bread on the side would be a nice touch.

I made this with black beans as I did not have the cannellini beans. I added some onion, which I cooked along with the chard stems, and two cloves of garlic for 1/2 the recipe. Many similar recipes use more olive oil to add richness and give the soup a silkiness, so I used a couple of tablespoons to cook the onion and the chard stems. I ate this with a couple of slices of Italian bread spread with butter, and the meal was quite satisfying. 1/2 recipe made about 3 servings. I thought the soup tasted better the second night.

Other recipes add a pinch of thyme. I did not do this.

1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 quart vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
3 cups water
2 – 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnishing, if desired [grating Parmesan very finely will melt better]
Salt and freshly ground pepper [salt not needed as cheese is salty enough]

Rinse chard well, trim off and discard discolored stem ends. Tear leaves from stems. Thinly slice rest of stems crosswise. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces.

Pour oil into a 4-5 quart pan over medium heat. Add chard stems and garlic. Stir often until stems are limp, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves, broth, and 3 cups water. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender to bite, 10 minutes longer.

Add beans and stir occasionally until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup [finely grated] Parmesan cheese [a little at a time]. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls; serve with more Parmesan cheese, if desired. (Fresh Italian bread would be a nice accompaniment.)

Serves 4-6