I’m always inspired by food when I travel and Tuscany has been my focus since I’ve been home. This soup is my combination of 2 memorable dishes in Tuscany… Dario’s beans & a bowl of ribollita for lunch on the street in Florence.
Dinner with Dario Cecchini in Panzano was the most memorable experience. He’s impressive being an 8th generation butcher with a big personality. His restaurants are fun & they are an experience… not just a meal. Surprisingly it wasn’t the 5 courses of meat I couldn’t forget … it was the beans! Here’s how it starts:
– Small bowl with some Tuscan salt & herbs (his blend**)
– Generous drizzle of olive oil
– Splash of red wine vinegar
This is the dipping vehicle for your carrots & raw vegetables. Then you find the bowl of bread and decide what the hell – dip it! Just when you think your bowl can do no more… a big ladle of white beans & broth are ladled into the remaining oil/vinegar/salt bowl.
Divine. That’s all the inspiration I need!
Buon appetito!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 stalks celery – diced
- 4 carrots – peeled & diced
- 2 leeks – cleaned, rinsed and cut into ½ moons
- ½ yellow onion – diced
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage – natural sausage casing removed
- 4 chicken thighs – skin-on & bone-in
- 1 cup Pinot Grigio wine
- 8 -10 cups chicken broth
- 1 bag Tuscan kale – washed
- 2 cans cannellini beans – rinsed
- 3 T red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
DIRECTIONS
Remove the sausage from DCW Casing and tear it by hand into bite-size pieces. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a 4- or 5-quart heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate, leaving any rendered fat in the pot.
In the same pot, add the chicken thighs and sear until brown on all sides. Transfer to the same plate as the sausage. Set aside for later.
Add 1 Tbs. olive oil to the pot, increase the heat to medium high, and add the onion, celery, carrot, leeks, onion, crushed red pepper and garlic . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the white wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
When the broth reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the sausage & chicken along with any collected juices. Cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken and pull the meat from the bone. Discard the skin & bones. Add the chicken meat back to the pot with the drained & rinsed beans.
Stir in the kale, adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, and simmer until the kale is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper & add the vinegar.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil & a splash of red wine vinegar. Crusty bread is a must!
