Reuben Brothy Beans

SERVES 4

This is the story of an unexpected friendship between two recipes that never have met, but have a great deal in common. When you combine a veggie Reuben sandwich with ribollita soup, something new is born, and it brings the best of them both. The bread is slathered with mustard, torn into pieces and submerged in a pot of brothy beans and kale (the ribollita staple). The sauerkraut and sharp cheese add a flavour punch that replaces that of a traditional aged Parmesan, and the result tastes like a Jewish deli in Manhattan with an Italian nonna stirring the pots.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

  Green Kitchen: Quick & Slow David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl

• 2 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) good-quality vegetable stock (or use homemade, see below)

• 2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 200 g (7 oz) cavolo nero, torn and stalks discarded

• 60 g (2 oz/1⁄3 cup) sauerkraut, chopped

• 100 g (31⁄2 oz) rye sourdough (about 2 slices), or any stale bread you have at home

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• dried chilli flakes

• sharp cheese of your choice

DIRECTIONS 

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium–low heat. Add the onion, tomato purée and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and sweat gently for 8 minutes, or until soft and aromatic, stirring from time to time.

Add the stock and drained beans. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cavolo nero and the sauerkraut and stir. Spread the bread with a thin layer of the mustard, then tear into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Divide the soup between 4 shallow bowls. To serve, drizzle generously with oil, sprinkle over some chilli flakes and shave some cheese on top. 

Make it vegan: Use a plant-based cheese.

Classic Vegetable Broth with Add-ins

MAKES 1.5 LITRES (51 FL OZ/6 CUPS)

A homemade stock is always the best base for a delicious soup. There are essentially two ways to go when making your own stock.
If you are a purist – like Sophie, our recipe developer – you will only use fresh ingredients to make what we’ve called the base stock, and you will end up with a delicious, well-balanced stock good for almost any occasion. You could also go the Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink- Veggie-Stock way – which our recipe tester Nic is an advocate for. She loves to add in her vegetable odd-ends, peels and tops and use the stock as a no-food-waste recipe. Our suggestion is to start with a good base, and then start incorporating add-ins and flavour-boosters depending on what you have at home.

For the base

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped (peel reserved)

• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (peel reserved)

• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped 6 peppercorns

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 thyme sprigs

• 4 parsley sprigs

• 3 litres (104 fl oz/12 cups) water

• 2 tsp coarse sea salt

Add-ins (whatever you have at home)

carrot peels/potato skins/ celery tops/swiss chard and kale stalks/broccoli stems

• Flavour-boosters (optional)

• 1 vegetarian Parmesan rind or 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp honey

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium–low heat. Add the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened but not coloured. Add the peppercorns and herbs, then pour in the water. Add the salt and the peel from the onions and carrots, along with any add-ins or flavour-boosters you might be using (except the honey). Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Remove from the heat before stirring through the honey (if using) – adding it now helps to retain its beneficial nutrients. Set aside to cool before straining and storing in containers, jars or freezer bags.

It will keep for a few days in the fridge or several months in the freezer. If freezing, remember to leave a little room, as the stock will expand as it freezes.

Excerpted with permission from Green Kitchen: Quick & Slow by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl, published by Hardie Grant Books, August 2022, RRP $42.00 Hardcover.

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