Ed Baines has created a hearty stew that's full of goodness
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 salted anchovy fillets
- 1 small red chilli, chopped
- 2 carrots
- 1 loose leaf cabbage (Spring, savoy, cavolo nero or ruby chard)
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 1x 200 g7 oz tin (or fresh) shelled borlotti beans (can use cannellini or others)
- 100 g3½ oz green beans
- 25 ml1 fl oz olive oil
- 2 beef tomatoes, roughly chopped (or chopped tinned tomatoes)
- 2 pt1 l strong vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper
- 150 g5¼ oz good stale bread
- Grated parmesan, to finish
Method: How to make Tuscan bean stew
Warm 100ml of oil in a casserole. Add onion and carrot and cook for 2 minutes. Then add green beans and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add anchovies, chopped garlic, chilli and thyme and stir through.
Next add sliced cabbage and chopped tomatoes and stir. Now add stock and strained [if tinned] or fresh borlotti beans. Bring to the boil then turn to low and cook out for 30 mins. Reheat thoroughly before eating. Add small pieces of the crusty/stale bread and stir through as you are heating.
Finish with salt and pepper, olive oil and grated parmesan. The soup can also be finished by adding slices or cubes of cooked meat such as pork, ham or chicken leftovers (pork works particularly well).
