Jasper Mirabile Jr. of Jasper’s is bringing Italian soup for the soul to your kitchen. Today he shares simple, yet delicious Stracciatella and Tuscan Bean Soup recipes.
JASPER’S STRACCIATELLA SOUP
INGREDIENTS
1 large chicken
Tomato paste
1 carrot
1 onion
2 stalks celery
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh thyme and tarragon
METHOD
Cut chicken in half in paint with tomato paste. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and roast for 30 minutes. Remove chicken and place in a large stock pot. Cover with water in and onions carrots and celery along with herbs and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue boiling for 15 minutes with lid on. Lower to medium heat and leave on stove and continue cooking for one hour.
JASPER’S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces dry navy beans (1 1/4 cups)
4 cups water
1 ounce pancetta, chopped, or thinly sliced bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon instant beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 head escarole, torn (6 cups)*
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup ditalini (tiny thimble- or tube-shaped pasta)
1/3 cup tomato juice
METHOD
Rinse the beans. In a saucepan, combine beans and the 4 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or skip boiling the water and soak beans overnight in a covered pan.) Drain; rinse beans.
In a Dutch oven, cook pancetta, celery, carrot and onion in olive oil till vegetables are tender, but not brown.
Add the 6 cups fresh water, wine, beans, bouillon granules, crushed red pepper (if you like), tarragon, basil and pepper. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer the mixture for 1 hour.
Add the escarole, tomatoes, potatoes, ditalini and tomato juice. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more or till potatoes are tender.
* CHEF’S NOTE: If you can't find escarole, substitute the same amount of fresh spinach and just stir it into the soup before just stir it into the soup before just stir it into the soup before serving, instead of simmering with the potatoes.