Cannellini Minestrone (8 svg)

2 cups dried cannellini beans
8 cups water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
3 cups torn Swiss chard (about 1 pound)

Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse beans.

Combine beans and 8 cups water in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

Combine mushrooms and boiling water to cover in a small bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and chop.

Place 2 cups cooked beans in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth; return pureed beans to pan. Stir in salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in mushrooms, parsley, and the next 4 ingredients (through chiles); cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion mixture and chard to beans in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until chard is tender. Ladle soup into individual bowls.

Serving Size: makes 8 servings

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ILANIASTAR.