Swiss Chard Bean Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches in a bowl at room temperature at least 8 hours, or quick-soak (see cooks' note, below). Drain in a colander.
• Cook pancetta in oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer pancetta with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Cook onion and fennel in oil remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans, stock, water, cheese rind, bay leaf, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, until beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Discard cheese rind and bay leaf.
• Stir in Swiss chard and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until the vegetables are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the roasted peppers, minced garlic and cilantro and cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chard, cover and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the contents of the skillet into the pot and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toast the bread, then rub with the whole garlic clove. Serve the soup with the bread and lemon wedges, if desired.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, cook the chard with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water and the salt over medium heat until tender. Drain the chard, reserving any liquid that remains. Coarsely chop the chard.
• Very finely chop anchovies together with the rosemary.
• In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is pale gold, about 10 minutes. Stir in the anchovies and rosemary. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Discard the garlic. Stir in the chard and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it with the oil. Stir in the beans. Cook for 3 minutes.
• Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. Boil for 6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• Pass Parmesan cheese at the table.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon, onion, garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and cannellini beans, and bring the mixture to a boil; stir in sun-dried tomatoes and the piece of Parmesan cheese rind. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook while you prepare the chard, about 10 minutes.
• Cut the stems from the chard, and slice the stems into pieces about 3/4-inch long. Cut the chard leaves into 1-inch wide ribbons. Stir the chard stems and pasta into the soup, setting aside the leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer, and gently simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir the chard leaves, sage, and basil into the soup, and simmer just until wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the leek. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about three minutes. Add the garlic, stir for about a minute, and then stir in the water, tomato paste and the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
• Add the Swiss chard and the pasta to the soup, bring back to a simmer, and simmer another 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Grind in some pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.

Steps:

• Trim the bottoms of the chard stems. If the stems are thin and fibrous, separate the leaves and discard the stems. If they are wide, separate the leaves and cut the stems into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside with the celery and onion. Wash the leaves in 2 changes of water and chop medium-fine.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion, celery and chard stalks. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock or water, bouquet garni and rice. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir the chard into the soup, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust the salt. Serve with fresh lemon wedges for people to squeeze into their servings if desired and Parmesan for sprinkling.

Steps:

• Fry bacon slices over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup kettle, then remove and drain on paper towels. Saute garlic, onion, carrot, and Swiss chard stems in bacon grease until soft, then add ham, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Add Swiss chard leaves and saute until they are wilted.
• Add chicken broth, Roman beans and tomatoes. Stir together, increase heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble bacon slices and add to soup. Stir in Parmesan cheese to taste.

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water. Let them soak overnight.
• The next day, drain the beans, reserving 2 cups of liquid.
• In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add the chard and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, reserved bean liquid, beans, garlic and bay leaf. Partially cover and simmer for 1-2 hours, until beans are tender.
• Remove bay leaf. Puree half of the soup in a blender. Return to pot with remaining soup. Add salt, pepper and parsley.