Ingredients

  • Soup ingredients
  • 1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4" cubes
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1/2 pound yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/4" dice
  • 1.5 cups chopped canned tomatoes
  • 1 parmigiano reggiano rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 10 cups mixed greens ( lacinto kale, swiss chard, rapini, spinach)
  • 2 cups cannellini or great white beans
  • Pesto smeared croutons
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pinenuts, toasted
  • 1 handful stemmed basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 handful stemmed spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 zest from 1 lemaon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • pepper to taste

Method

  • In the largest soup pot you have, cook pancetta cubes until they begin to brown. Scoop them out of the pan and onto a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Reserve the fat from the pancetta in the pot.
  • In a food processor, finely chop the garlic cloves. Add the onion and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the garlic and onion mixture to the pot with the pancetta fat and cook until soft over medium heat for 10 minutes. Depending on how fatty your pancetta is, you may need to add a bit of olive oil.
  • In the food processor, coarsely chop the carrot and celery. Add carrots and celery to the onion and garlic mixture and saute for another 10 minutes. Add diced potatoes and stir to mix in.
  • Add chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, parmigiano reggiano rind, dried thyme, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook another 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the mixed greens and cannellini beans and cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes.
  • Serve in individual bowls topped with a pesto smeared crouton.
  • In a food processor, whirl the garlic until finely minced. Add the remaining ingredients and whirl until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.