Tuscan white bean stew

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Tuscan white bean stew

 

By Mayo Clinic staff

 

Dietitian's tip: The white beans (cannellini) , along with garlic and rosemary

or sage, are traditional ingredients in many soups and stews in Tuscany. Serve

as a main course with a simple salad of mixed greens.

By Mayo Clinic staff

 

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

 

For the croutons

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, quartered

1 slice whole-grain bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 

2 cups dried cannellini or other white beans, picked over and rinsed, soaked

overnight, and drained

6 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus 6 sprigs

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or broth

 

Directions

 

To make the croutons, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.

Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10

minutes to infuse the garlic flavor into the oil. Remove the garlic pieces and

discard. Return the pan to medium heat. Add the bread cubes and saute, stirring

frequently, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and

set aside.

 

In a soup pot over high heat, combine the white beans, water, 1/2 teaspoon of

the salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to

low, cover partially and simmer until the beans are tender, 60 to 75 minutes.

Drain the beans, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf.

Place the cooked beans into a large bowl and save the cooking pot for later use.

 

In a small bowl, combine the reserved cooking liquid and 1/2 cup of the cooked

beans. Mash with a fork to form a paste. Stir the bean paste into the cooked

beans.

 

Return the cooking pot to the stove top and add the olive oil. Heat over

medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and carrots and saute until the carrots are

tender-crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until softened, about

1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the pepper, chopped rosemary,

bean mixture and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer

until the stew is heated through, about 5 minutes.

 

Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the croutons. Garnish each

bowl with a rosemary sprig and serve immediately.

 

Nutritional Analysis

(per serving)

Serving size: About 1 1/4 cup stew and 1/6 of the croutons

Calories 323 Cholesterol 0 mg

Protein 17 g Sodium 547 mg

Carbohydrate 49 g Fiber 12 g

Total fat 8 g Potassium 1,368 mg

Saturated fat 1 g Calcium 200 mg

Monounsaturated fat 6 g