Rustic soup brings back warm family memories
Sliced cooked sausage, for garnish, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional
Start prepping the beans the night before. Little by little, spread them out on a clean work surface and sort out any grit or other debris or malformed beans. Put the beans in a strainer, and rinse thoroughly with cold running water. Then, transfer them to a bowl, add cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches (5 cm), and leave at room temperature to soak overnight.
Start cooking the soup at least 3 hours before serving time, first draining the beans thoroughly.
Heat a large stockpot over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Add the bacon strips and cook, stirring frequently, until they have browned lightly, several minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove and discard the bacon.
In another pot, bring the stock or broth to a boil over medium-high heat; then, reduce the heat and keep warm.
While the stock is heating, add the onions, carrots, celery and celeriac to the pot containing the oil and bacon fat, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to turn tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chopped tomato and drained beans. With kitchen string, securely tie together the basil, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Add the bundle to the pot along with the vinegar and sugar. Pour in the hot stock or broth, and stir well. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
Raise the heat, and bring the liquid to a full boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, and adding more stock or fresh water as needed to keep the beans fully covered.
When the beans are tender, remove and discard the herb bundle. Ladle out 2 cups (500 mL) of the beans and vegetables and puree them in a blender or food processor, carefully following the manufacturer's instructions for processing hot liquids safely without spattering. Stir the puree back into the pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle the soup into heated bowls. If you like, garnish with sausage and Parmesan cheese.
(c) 2020 WOLFGANG PUCK WORLDWIDE, INC. DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
