This vibrant soup is loaded with sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes. Cook up a pot when the garden is laden with scarlet fruit—so many you can cut up six cups worth, and still have a few to spare. Or make a trip to the farmers’ market in early fall, before the last of summer’s jewels are gone for good (at least until next year). If you don’t have that many fresh tomatoes, substitute a larger amount of canned. The flavor won’t suffer, even if the broth isn’t quite as sweet.
An entire head of curly-leaved escarole goes into this pot. The slightly bitter flavor of these winter-loving greens compliments creamy Italian beans. If you have a hard Parmesan rind left after the cheese has been grated away, don’t toss it out, throw it into the pot. It’s an old trick that add lots of deep flavor. Be sure to fish it out before serving though, or someone will receive a gooey surprise.
If you cook your own beans rather than using canned, save the cooking liquid and substitute some for the broth.
Freeze leftover soup in plastic containers for a quick dinner or lunchbox choice.
We make these saucy beans nearly once a week—on nights when time’s in short supply, but we crave something that tastes fresh and homemade. There’s not much to prepare, but you might slice a sweet tomato, grate a carrot or cube an avocado while the beans cook. If you have the energy, sauté some vegetables to serve on top—corn, broccoli, carrots, greens—whatever you find in the fridge.
By the way, this is the perfect meal for kids to prepare on their own—as an after-school snack or supper for the whole family.
Lentils are a healthy staple of the vegetarian diet, and a cheap, versatile protein source for anyone—meat-free or not. They cook up quickly and add hearty body to a simple soup. I like Umbrian lentils from Italy—they hold their shape well with cooking—but any brown lentil will do. The flavor of this soup is amped up with a pint of roasted cherry tomatoes. You could toss most any leafy green into the pot—kale, collards, mustard greens, chard. Substantial leaves will need a bit more simmering to soften. Try some chopped fresh herbs for serving—especially cilantro or mint. And a last minute drizzle of fruity olive oil.
This pasta makes use of our summer bounty of cherry tomatoes. We slow-roast them then add to creamy sun-dried tomato pesto sauce and toss with summer corn, noodles and fresh basil. The sweet corn lends a pleasant and unexpected crunch. The roasted tomatoes—rich, concentrated flavor in each bite. Feel free to substitute frozen corn for the fresh, and uncooked cherry tomatoes (halved) for the slow-roasted ones.