This is not just another tomato soup. The flavor and texture of this soup make it stand far above the other tomato soups I have made. Hope you enjoy it. It’s fun to make!
Ingredients:
¾ cup dry navy beans
10 cups water or stock
10 fresh sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
4 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
6 thyme branches, or ¼ teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
salt and ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Sort the beans and remove any small stones and chaff. Rinse them well, cover generously with water, and set them aside to soak overnight.
2. Next day, pour off the soaking water and cover the beans with 10 cups water or stock. Add half the sage, 3 garlic cloves (peeled and left whole), 2 of the bay leaves, the thyme, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon sea salt, lower the heat, and cook beans at a simmer or slow boil until they are tender but not mushy, about 1 hour. Remove them from the heat and strain, reserving the broth.
3. Slowly warm the rest of the oil in a soup pot with the remaining sage, garlic (roughly chopped), and bay leaf for 1-2 minutes, then add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, then add 6-7 cups of the bean broth and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the beans and cook another 10 minutes.
4. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. The soup may be served immediately or set aside for later.
Serves 4-6