Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Broccoli and Bean Soup

The idea for this soup came from my sister-in-law. I was fooled by it's fullness and creaminess , and shocked that there was, in fact, no cream or potato in the soup at all. Instead, beans give the soup a wonderful amount of protein and add to the perfect texture. The original recipe is from Eating Well, but I made quite a few changes to it. Even with the changes, the entire recipe takes only 10-15 minutes from start to finish (the quicker time being if you have a immersion blender).
Saute 1/2 and onion and 1 clove of garlic in a soup pot. Add 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and 1 pound of broccoli crowns. Bring to a boil, and cook broccoli for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse 1- 14 oz can of cannellinibeans, add to stock, and cook for one more minute (until hot). Puree with a bar blender in batches, or just use a stick blender. Add 1 cup grated parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon of each). I served it with a few drops of truffle oil and a bit more parmesan for garnish.

2 comments:

Cierra Pera said...

Two questions:
1. Does it taste very much like broccoli or beans?
2. What does truffle oil taste like? I've always wondered and never ventured. I don't like things that taste like 'dirt'- IMO beets and such.

Naka and Raj said...

Ha, Cierra! You are so funny. Your answers:

1. It tastes like most broccoli soup, but more fresh. If you have ever made a cream of broccoli or broccoli and potato at home, it does the same thing. The beans lend a creamy, hearty texture, but not so much of a bean flavor.

2. Not sure what to say about truffle oil, as it's difficult to say what compares to a truffle. It's definitely earthy, but not 'dirt' tasting. It's almost more of an aroma than a flavor...a VERY VERY STRONG aroma, so a little goes a long way (this is why a 3 oz bottle can run you $20). It's a fun touch when cooking, but I wouldn't say it was necessary for this recipe.