68 | Oregon Home Ribollita (Serves 4) • 1 qt small white beans, soaked in water overnight For the sachet: • Splash of olive oil • 1 lemon, washed and halved • 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rings • 2 stalks celery, cut similar size • 1 large yellow onion, cut similar size • 2 sprigs rosemary • 10 sprigs thyme Preparation: While the beans are soaking, cut the veggies. Heat a large pan until it is smoking hot with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the lemon, cut side down, to the pan; cook until charred black. Add the veggies and stir. Cook until the vegetables are charred as well; you want them darkly caramelized but not as black as the lemon. Turn off the heat on the pan, add the herbs and let cool to room temperature. Tie vegetables in a little bundle with cheesecloth; if you don't have cheesecloth, you will just have to pick out the vegetables and herbs after you cook the beans. Add the vegetable bundle and the beans to a large pot and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender and creamy on the inside, 1 to 2 hours. When the beans are done, let them cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid, and season with a hefty pinch of salt. This liquid becomes the base of the soup. To finish the soup: • 2 C olive oil • 3 C carrot, diced small (1/4-inch cubes) • Pinch of salt • 3 C yellow onion, diced small • 3 C celery, diced small • 1/2 C garlic, peeled and minced • 4 sprigs rosemary, minced • 1 14-oz. can peeled Roma tomatoes, blended coarsely • 1 bunch kale, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 2 T cracked black pepper • 1 t coriander Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the carrots carefully, and stir to distribute in the oil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes with the heat still on high until the carrots just start to get a little darker in color. Add a pinch of salt, then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 5 minutes, just until they start to pick up a little color. Add the celery and another pinch of salt; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to distribute evenly. Cook the garlic for about 3 minutes until it no longer smells raw. Add the rosemary and fry for 1 minute. Add the blended tomato and stir. Cook the tomato for about 5 minutes, still on high heat, until the tomato has started to reduce and doesn't smell raw anymore. Add the kale; stir and let cook for just a minute or so, until it has wilted. Add the beans and their liquid to the pot and bring to a simmer, stirring the bottom of the pot to avoid scorching. Add a pinch of salt and about 2 T of cracked black pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of ground coriander. Cook over medium-low heat at a low simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour; you want the flavor to meld together but don’t want to cook the beans too much. After an hour, add some fresh lemon juice and more salt or black pepper as needed. If time permits, let the flavors meld overnight.
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