More beans from Payton…

Another great recipe for beans from Payton Curry…

Saturday Morning Market influences Sunday Morning Tuscan Style Soup

1  lb.   McClendon Farms dried Legumes, beans of choice
1/3  lb. Raw Italian sausage, house ground
1  cup   Carrots, brunoise
1 each Large Leek, brunoise
1 each    Yellow onion, brunoise
4 each    Celery stalks brunoise
2 each   Green garlic stalks, Chiffonade and washed
2 each    Bay leaves
1 cup      Dry white wine, dry (1 cup for you, quality check)
1  bunch Rainbow Chard Chiffonade, optional
As needed Chicken Stock

Procedure

1.)   Soak beans over night in a large container with water to cover by at least four inches. Place in fridge
2.)   The next morning drain beans and rinse in a colander in your sink
3.)   In a 8 to 10 qt stock pot at medium heat place 3 T of olive oil in the base and once a beautiful light smoky hew wafts up place broken pieces (1 inch ish) of your sausage into the pan.  Once caramelized, golden brown and delicious remove from pan
4.)   With sausage removed add all of your vegetables and lightly caramelize your mirepoix for about 3-4 minutes.
5.)   Deglaze you’re the vegetables with the white wine reduce by half
6.)   Add beans and pour room chilled chicken stock over the beans and bring to a slight simmer and allow beans to “dance” around in the stock adding more stock as needed to keep the dance alive
7.)   Once beans are Al Dente, add sausage, remove bay leaves and season to taste with Banyuls vinegar or other fine vinegar. Fold in Swiss chard at the end and garnish with your favorite aged hard cheese.  Or if your Midwestern, Velveeta.

Nerd Notes:

Reserve the green garlic and leek stems to make a small batch of broth.  Add all stem ends and tops cover with chilled water and bring to a simmer.  Reduce to low and steap for 1 hour. Strain and chill.  Use to make your rice or to boil your pasta in instead of water.  Cheers!

****Brunoise means to finely dice, producing the tiniest of cuts, approximately 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch x 1/8 inch. Yes – I had to look it up.