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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Farro and Cranberry Bean Soup

December and still no snow.  Very, very strange, I say.  Weather patterns have really shifted over the past couple of years.  I can remember Halloweens as a kid when I had to wear my winter coat, hat, gloves, and boots.  Because it was SNOWING!  And since my birthday falls just a few days after Halloween, I used to pray that it wouldn't snow until after that day.  And sometimes it wouldn't.  Sure, sometimes flurries would fly without sticking, but it was a rare year that I didn't have snow on or around my birthday.  Back to present day, it's exactly one month (and a few hours) past my birthday and still no sign of the white stuff.  I think some came down sometime last month, but I can't be sure.  My short term memory just isn't what it used to be.  Just a mere hour north of us at my mom's house, they've had snow on the ground for the better part of a week.  I know I'm inviting danger with just the mere mention of not having any yet.  I'm not complaining...it's just curious.  I don't know why I feel like I need to justify myself by saying that I actually DO like snow.  I just hate driving in it.  Unless, of course, all of the whackos stay off the streets.  I'd be perfectly fine if I only had my car to contend with on the slippery roads and not the psychos in their SUV's who don't seem to realize...or care...that not everybody can stop on a dime if they happen to cut them off.  But I do love being tucked cozily in the house when there's a couple feet of snow inside.  As long as the fridge and pantry are stocked and the whole family is home.  Even playing in the yard or sledding down the street is good, as long as we can come in and warm up with a steaming cuppa hot chocolate...or spiked coffee...and a steaming bowl of hearty soup.  Like a bowl of bean-thickened soup with mouthfuls of chewy farro and crunchy bacon on every spoon.  I will just have to eat while closing my eyes right now...and imagine that there is snow to go with the temperatures in the low 30's.  Oh yes.  I can totally see it now...
Farro and Cranberry Bean Soup
inspired by & adapted from Tessa Kiros's Spelt & Cranberry Bean Soup in From Apples to Jam
yield: 4-6 svgs.

1 c. dried Cranberry Beans, soaked overnight
 4 oz. bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 whole, peeled tomatoes
2 sage leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 c. pearled farro, rinsed
6 c. poultry stock (or chicken broth/water)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

to serve:
olive oil
fresh sage
fresh or dried red chiles
Drain beans.  Put in a large pan covered by a couple inches of cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a gently simmer until tender, ~1-1½ hours.  Drain most of the water off, then puree with an immersion blender.   Season to taste with salt. Reserve.

Chop the bacon in ¼" strips crosswise, then cook in a medium Dutch oven (or heavy pot) until done.  Scoop out onto a paper towel lined  plate and reserve.  Add onion, celery, and garlic to bacon grease in pot over medium heat until they start to soften and just turn golden in parts.  Squoosh the tomatoes with your hands and add to the pot along with the sage, bay leaf, and farro.  Stir around for a minute or two.  Add in stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until the farro is tender, ~30 minutes.  Taste and season to your liking with salt and pepper.  Stir in bean puree.  Cook another 10 minutes or so.  Taste again and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, reserved bacon, and sage and chiles, if using.
I am sharing this post with:
IHCC theme: Bean There, Done That
Soup Hop @ KatherineMartinelli
IHCC Tessa Kiros Button Souper_Sundays2 SundayNightSoupNight

Would you like to comment?

  1. Really love snow! can't wait for it, but where not blessed with snow every winter:-( but this would be a great bowl of comfort to come home to when it wil be snowwing;-)(or not)

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  2. I say "yes" to the soup but "no" to the snow! Well, maybe just a little snow is ok. But not much. If it did snow I'd love to be snowed in with this soup. :)

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  3. I don't miss snow......looks pretty but, I guess I acclimated to Florida!  Beans look lovely.  Great photos, as always :-)

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  4. Hay qué rica sopita, tan confortable!!
    Rica receta , gracias :D

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  5. Hi France!
    It's actually Cranberry BEANS, not cranberries =)

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  6. Wow--I think I share all your feelings about winter, from how strange the lateness of the snow now is, to how fine it would be to be the only car on the road (actually happened to me once when I needed to pick up a friend in a blizzard).  And bean soup--indeed perfect for (real) winter!

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  7. great pic!! wonderful flavors!!

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  8. HI Heather, What a lovely sould and a fun combination. I would not have thought to mix white beans and faro but I bet it's a great hearty cold say soup. The real surprise comes from the cranberries. Beautiful photo as well.

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  9. Heather, This is an awesome looking soup and so perfect for this time of year. I can't wait to try it!

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  10. Here in Mississippi we don't get much snow. We had a brief shot at it last week...nope it was just cold. But ! when the snow stuff is tempted to fall this might be the recipe I make.It looks delicious.

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  11. This soup looks delicious! Just the sort of thing to eat when its snowing outside :)
    Thanks for sharing this with Sunday Night Soup Night, look forward to seeing you again soon!

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  12. josé manuel martín fernándezDecember 22, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    Que sopita tan deliciosa te ha quedado.

    Saludos

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  13. You don't know how tempted I am.  We always toy with the "where would we move to if we moved" idea, and Colorado is one of the names that gets thrown around.  Of course, if we did, I'm sure I'd just complain about all of the snow ;P

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  14. We're having spring-like weather here, but it's fine with me, we'll get pounded with snow soon enough.  I love the soup, I've never used farro or cranberry beans.  It sounds very hearty and healthy.

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  15. This is a beautiful soup!! Great for the FINALLY chillier weather. I remember too when Halloween often meant surprise snowstorms!

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  16. There's several houses for sale in our neighborhood Heather ... I'd love to have you as a neighbor.  We've had snow many times and currently have about 10 inches in the yard.  Just sayin......

    Beautiful photo of the soup Heather.  Love that presentation.  It snowed all day yesterday and was C-O-L-D, so I made a big pot of chili.  Definitly soup weather.

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  17. Maybe you will have snow for Christmas :O) This soup looks delicious. It's perfect for cold weather.
    http://www.thegirlieblog.com

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  18. I love farro ;-) This is a delicious combination.

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  19. What is strange!?  Beans and grains are a fairly standard combo, I thought.  But at least it looks good, I suppose...  Perhaps people think I'm using regular CRANBERRIES and not CRANBERRY BEANS?

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  20. great combination farro and cranberry beans! I will try it! BRAVA!! ciao Francesca  http://burroezucchero.blogspot.com

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  21. No snow here for us yet either. But then again no shoveling either. :-) The cranberry beans are so pretty - what a cozy and comforting dish!

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  22. I've seen a lot of strange combinations, I think this one tops it but anyways it looks good, I should definetly give it a try

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  23. I'm less disturbed by the lack of snow than I am about the 60 degree weather and the fact that I'm still wearing a super thin jacket everywhere. But I'll take it.  And still  make soup. This looks like a great combination of flavors and textures!

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  24. I remember those Halloweens too! I used to hate it when my mom would try to put my coat OVER my costume! We also have no snow, it's a strange year so far. This soup looks lovely and everything in it sounds like it would be perfect together... I'll have to put this on my "to make" list :)

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  25. No snow here ;-) but I am in love with this soup and would happily eat bowl after bowl. It looks amazing. ;-) Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays too.

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  26. Lovely comfort food; I think the cranberries give the ordinary bean soup a real twist. Beatuiful photo, too :)

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  27. Oh, I think it's so awesome that you grew your own cranberry beans!  I've always wanted to try growing and drying my own legumes (other than the "usual" long beans)!

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  28. heather this looks incredible! i grew cranberry beans this year, and this post was a reminder that i should check on them to see if they are well dried.  i know i can get hubs to swap out his favorite bean and bacon soup for this..because honestly--who wouldn't :)

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  29. Those cranberry beans are absolutely beautiful.  I love the side by side picture of the beans and farro.

    I spent today in shorts and a T and I'm OK with that.  But I hope you get your snow soon.

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  30. this is a first class seasonal soup love it 

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  31. First of all, your picture is gorgeous!  I love the bowl, the colors, the way you have it plated.  Second of all, this is a very unique and fun recipe.  I can't even imagine how nutritious this is for you.

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  32. We had snow on Halloween and now nothing! It's been warm and that makes it hard to get in the holiday spirit. Ah, but a bowl of this would transport me to that special place! So hearty and warming.

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  33. I totally get you - I haven't put up the tree yet because it doesn't feel seasonal. And I too have been making comfort foods and pretending it's cold! This looks fabulous 

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  34. This sounds wonderful.  I haven't tried faro, yet.  Have printed it off for both myself and my parents.  Thanks.

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