serves 4
To brighten the flavor of the soup slightly, add a splash of sherry during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Another nice change is to use different herbs, according to preference and what’s available. One suggestion is to substitute fresh dill for both the dried savory and fresh parsley.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried savory
4 cups vegetable broth (page 15)
1 (16-ounce) can Great Northern beans or
other white beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, savory, and broth. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, add the beans, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer to heat through and develop the flavor, about 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree some of the soup right in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer about 2 cups of the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Stir back into the pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings and heat until hot, about 5 minutes. To serve, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the parsley.
