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| Fresh Herbs of Bay, Rosemary, Sage and Garlic |
Wow what a roller coaster week....just last Saturday was my birthday. then Sunday was a Memorial for my brother, Michael. Monday was a good day I made the Ribollita Soup, and took a pot of it up to my parents house for their dinner the next night. Mom was upset because she has just gotten off the phone with my Uncle that my Aunt had a massive stroke. The next day I picked up my parents early and we went to be with my Uncle and Aunt and family at the hospital in Austin. She passed away later in the day and we spent the evening with family in Georgetown. Friday was the Funeral for Aunt Barbara....A beautiful day for an outdoor ceremony. During the day I talked with Aunt Barbara's son-in-law and ask him how to pronounce the soup I had made on Monday night (he is from Italy) and he said, "Ree BoLetta"!!! It is a great soup. Our week became more diiicult as I was driving my parents home Friday night and my Dad became very ill and ended up being taken by EMS from the car on the highway to the hospital! Late Friday night I finally got Mom to their house and had to go back to the hospital... I left the hospital Saturday at a liitle after 4 A.M. They transferred Dad to San Antonio where he is being given great care. In the 12th year of Parkinson's Disease is not easy, for him or family. Prayers are needed, a week of lots of tears, but I know God does not give us more than we can handle. It is hard to comprehend what life is all about sometimes.
Here is the recipe for the Ribollita soup, I was so excited to to learn how to pronounce it on Friday!
A Tuscan, Italian Soup called Ribolitta (which means reboiled cabbage soup)
Ingredients:
4 cloves of garlic, minced
5 sage leaves, minced
3 bay leaves
1 sprig of rosemary, minced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 head of cabbage, coarsley chopped
1 bunch of swiss chard, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of kale, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups of dry cannellini beans ( you can use great northern beans )
4 cups of water
32 ounces of chicken broth (plus I cooked in 2 chicken breasts minced )
a pinch of salt
14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
fresh ground black pepper to taste
10 - 15 slices of toasted Italian bread, cut up
1 cup of fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive oil to drizzle
Preparation:
1. Rinse the beans and put them in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 1 hour.Then drain the water off. Set the beans aside.
2. Put the chicken broth and minced chicken, garlic, sage, garlic, bay leaves and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about an hour. Cool.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the onions, cook until transparent. Combine the carrots, potatoes, cabbage, chard, and kale. Add the rosemary. Then add the tomatoes. Cook for until all the greens have wilted.
4. Then add the beans and the onion mixture in the large pot, and cook for about 45 minutes. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste. Add the toasted bread slices and cook for about 15 minutes.. Cool and refrigerate. It tastes better is you can refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
5. Reheat the soup for 25 minutes. Serve in bowls with the grated Parmesan Cheese and drizzled olive oil on top.
It tastes with a glass of Italian Chianti....
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| Ribollita Soup |
Enjoy this soup with family and friends.
Bill Varney
