Tuscan Bean And Barley Soup Recipes

TUSCAN BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
• Add pancetta and saute until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside.
• Add onion, carrot, celery, and fennel to the pot; saute until softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add beans, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and about 6 cups water, or as much as is needed to cover the beans by about 2 inches; bring to a boil.
• Decrease heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Discard rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs.
• Meanwhile, cook barley according to package directions and set aside.
• Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth.
• Return to the pot, if necessary.
• Add barley and pancetta; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle into heated bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with Parmesan curls.

ZUPPA DI ORZO E FAGIOLI (BEAN AND BARLEY SOUP)

Steps:

• Place barley into a bowl and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand for 1 hour. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until slightly crisp, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir onion, carrot, and celery into pancetta and cook until vegetables are slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Mix half of the beans into vegetable-pancetta mixture and pour in enough water to cover; stir in barley and remaining beans. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Bring liquid to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring regularly and adding more water if soup gets too thick.
• Remove saucepan from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Serve soup with rosemary leaves and a drizzle of olive oil.

TUSCAN BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a 5-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces, until brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked sausage and reserve.
• Add the barley and cook stirring constantly until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, carrots, parsnips, zucchini, fennel, leeks, chard, cheese rind if using, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the barley is tender, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf, and discard. Season the soup with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cooked sausage and chopped chives.

CHEF JOHN'S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add butter; allow butter to melt. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook and stir until onion begins to turn translucent and golden, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook 1 more minute. Add beans and broth. Season with salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne pepper. Set heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Place bread cubes in a saute pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast bread cubes over medium heat until golden brown and crunchy, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle grated cheese over the bread cubes and continue to brown cubes about 2 more minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender until it is very smooth. Whisk in creme fraiche. Stir in lemon juice. Serve topped with browned bread cubes and chopped parsley.