My favorite beans

I love cannellini beans. Cannellini beans have a smooth texture and nutty flavor and are low in fat and loaded with nutrients. Beans are a great source of iron, magnesium and folate. Each 1 cup serving of beans provides more than 15 grams of protein—don’t tell me that I need to eat meat!

A few months into cooking school I had the opportunity to cook with cannellini beans. In class, we cook with a partner, which is a great opportunity to talk about our dishes. Somewhere in the conversation about my soup my partner suggested adding farro to the soup. I usually like my food straight forward—if I’m making beans, that’s what I eat. But the farro idea was intriguing, so I added them and the dish was a success. Cannellini beans and farro turned out to be a great combination.

It was a glorious day when I discovered Grano Farro. It is said that farro is the original grain from which all others are derived. Farro has a firm, chewy texture which contrasts nicely with a creamy soup or stew.

The New York Times even reported on Farro’s reemergence: “From a cross-country reading of the culinary winds, it appears that farro, an ancient grain believed to have sustained the Roman legions, has finally made it to the New World. Used in soups, salads and desserts, the little light brown grain is an intriguing alternative to pasta and rice.” So there!

Tonight I am making a Cannellini Bean and Farro Soup. You will love it.

1 cup dried cannellini beans
½ cup farro, rinsed
Several TBS olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 celery stalk,diced
1 carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 small piece kombu
9 cups water
Sea salt
Pepper

Soak the dried beans for several hours or overnight with the piece of kombu. Drain before using and discard the kombu.

Heat the olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until soft. Add the garlic and rosemary sprig and heat for another minute. Add the drained beans, bay leaf and the water. Once it comes to a boil reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove the rosemary stick and bay leaf. Add the farro and season with salt and pepper. Let cook for another ½ hour or until the farro is tender. You might need to add more water.

Stir everything together and you have a great supper.

Healthy eating!

*I sometimes add kale to the soup for added nutrients. Experiment and see what you like best.