With winter on the way, this is a great way to stay warm...
Ingredients: (makes 6 servings)
1 Tbsp of Thyme (or 4 sprigs of fresh Thyme)
1 Bay Leaf
½ Tbsp of Rosemary (or 1 sprig of fresh Rosemary)
(Wrap the Thyme, Bay Leaf and Rosemary in cheesecloth, and tie with twine)
1 Tbsp of Butter (either salted or unsalted depending on your taste)
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil (for cooking)
1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling)
½ to ¾ Cup of White or Yellow Onion, finely chopped (vary the amount based on your taste)
1 Tsp of Minced Garlic (or 2 cloves minced)
¼ Cup of Chopped Pancetta or Thick-cut Bacon
5 ¾ Cups of Chicken Broth (Reduced-Sodium works best)
¾ Cup of Elbow Macaroni
2 Cans of Red Kidney Beans Drained and Rinsed (14 ½ oz cans)
½ Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Equipment:
1 Cheesecloth
1 Blender
1 Large Saucepan w/ lid
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and pancetta for about three minutes to make them tender. Add the beans, broth and cheesecloth with herbs and cover. Bring it to a boil with high heat and then decrease to medium heat to simmer until the beans are tender, about 9 -11 minutes. You can remove and discard the herbs at this point.
Take 1 cup of the mixture and pour into a blender. Puree until smooth and place back into the saucepan. This will help thicken the soup. Cover and bring back to a boil using high heat. Add the elbow macaroni, cover and boil for about 8 minutes, until the macaroni is cooked but firm. Stir often while cooking the macaroni. This is a good time to add some fresh cracked pepper to the soup to taste.
When macaroni is done, dish up in serving bowls and add generous amount of the parmesan cheese. Once the cheese starts to melt, drizzle a little of the extra virgin olive oil over the top and you’re ready to serve. Enjoy!!
