2 Bean Soup (Crock Pot)

ellie_'s Note:

This soup is wonderful -- don't skip the basil pistou -- never had one before but it makes the soup heavenly and different from any other bean soup I've ever had. For the second day lunch - I just had the soup added the pistou to the tupperware container - heated it up in the microwave at work -- the smell was wonderful and the taste -- yum! I changed the original recipe from The Healthy Slow Cooker to adjust to what I had on hand. My version is listed here -- the original version was very similar but used larger amounts of ingredients - and I used what I had on hand.

• Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 carrots , peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes , diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 potatoes , peeled and diced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans white beans (I used Cannellini, white kidney beans and chick peas)
• 2 cups frozen green beans (do not thaw the beans, or they will turn mushy with the long crock pot cooking time)
• salt
• pepper

For the Pistou

• 1 cup basil leaves
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1⁄3; cup parmesan cheese , grated
• ¼ cup olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)

Directions:

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, add fennel seeds and cook stirring for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) or until seeds are toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a mortar and pestal and crush seeds. Set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds or so. Add onions and carrots, stirring until vegetables are softened (6-10 minutes).
3. Stir in toasted fennel seeds and cook stirring another minute.
4. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil.
5. Transfer mixture to crock pot.
6. Add broth, potatoes, white beans and green beans.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To make pistou -- in a food processor or blender combine basil, garlic and parmesan - process until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil through the food tube until combined.
9. Ladle soup into bowls and top with the pistou.

Reviews

[KateL]

3 Stars, pleasantly different and mellow soup with the basil pistou. DH said 3 stars, he's hard core carnivore, I would give 3.5; I would make changes to thicken the soup when I make it again (carrot or potato-garlic puree or add another can of beans already pureed or pressure cook with a ham hock or ham bone to draw out the gelatin), I would probably use a pressure cooker to intensify the flavors, and a non-vegetarian would welcome the addition of a roasted ham hock. This took much longer to prepare for the crock pot than I usually spend, and the end result was a thinner soup than I prefer. Thank goodness I had a bushy basil plant; it looks well-pruned now. The parmesan cheese ended up sticking to the spoon and bowl, requiring careful elbow-greased cleaning. Accepting the soup for what it is, I enjoyed it, but I would prefer more depth to the taste and I would have to add ham for DH on the next go-round. Made for Newest Zaar Tag.