Bean Soup for a Chilly Day

adapted from JAN 2014 BonAppetit

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, cored, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for serving
3 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 cup spelt (I only had spelt flour to use)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 head escarole, leaves torn into bite size pieces
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed
Shaved Parmesan (for serving)

Prepped items and home cooked Northern beans

Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Repeat with fennel, carrot, and celery, placing vegetables in bowl with onion.

On medium setting, heat 2 tbsps. oil in a large pot.  Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 3-6 minutes.

This is "Spelt flour" just in case you wondered :)

Turn heat down to medium-low.  Add spelt flour and cook, stirring often until spelt is browned, about 3 minutes.

 Add the onion, fennel, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot;  season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally with a flat whisk.  Stir until vegetables are softened, 6-8 minutes.  Add tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until paste is slightly darkened, about 1 minute.

Add broth to pot.  With the flat whisk, scrape bottom of pot and stir until soup is a consistent mixture.  Bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 60-70 minutes.

Stir in the beans and . . .

. . .  the escarole.  Cook until the escarole is wilted and beans are warmed through, about 4 minutes.

Serve soup drizzled with oil and topped with Parmesan cheese shavings.

I knew this soup wouldn't be enough for my hubby, so I added a grilled cheese sandwich.  He was too full to have seconds. 

Enjoy your weekend, stay safe, be thankful and remember to savor every moment.