White bean & Chard soup

[JenniferB]

My new favorite!! so tasty & so perfect for winter!

Cannellini Bean Soup
Adapted from Fagioli: The Bean cuisine of Italy. Author Judith Barrett, 2004
Servings: 4-6

1 cup dried cannellini beans
3 garlic cloves, 1 whole, 2 chopped
2 rosemary stems, 1 whole, 1 leaves only, chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp.
8 cups cold water
2 bunches rainbow swiss chard, stemmed, and chopped
1 tsp. chili flakes
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.  Soak beans in cold water over night. Drain, rinse with cold water.
2. Over medium-high heat in a heavy soup pot combine beans, whole garlic clove,
    whole rosemary stem and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add 8 cups water. Simmer, partially
    covered for one hour, until beans are tender.
3. Discard rosemary stem. Add chard, continue cooking another 20 minutes.
4. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil. Add chopped garlic,
    chopped rosemary, and chili flakes. Cook another 2 minutes, careful not to burn
    garlic.
5. Poor olive oil mixture in to pot of soup. Continue cooking 5 minutes more.   
    Season with salt & pepper and serve.

[PatriciaI]

SO delicious and easy...thanks for posting