The Staff of Life and Substance of Rebirth

Art Culinaire, Fall, 2001

For the ribollita:

2 cups dry cannelloni beans, soaked overnight

Peel of 1 lemon

1 bay leaf

1 onion, peeled and halved

4 cloves

3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped scallions

3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

4 cups chopped green chard

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced basil

12 slices day-old levain bread [**]

Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the zucchini-tomato bread soup:

12 slices day-old ciabatta bread [**]

1/4 cup olive oil

2 1/2 pounds zucchini, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons minced parsley

4 cups vegetable stock

1 3/4 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced, reserving all juices

2 tab1espoons chopped mint leaves

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Sea salt and pepper to taste

(*.) Available through The Chef's Garden at (800) 289-4644.

(**.) These rustic loaves are made in regional bakeries throughout Europe. Levain is a specialty sourdough loaf. Available in specialty bread bakeries.

(***.) Antique Gruyere is also known as cave aged Gruyere and has a nutty flavor. Available through Murray's Cheese Shop at (212) 243-3289.

Note: Ribollita is a hearty Tuscan soup meaning "twice baked" in Italian. Traditionally, leftover vegetables, stale bread, and cooked beans are combined and baked in a casserole.

directions

For the red wine-onion bread soup, preheat the oven to 375.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 1/2 ounces of the oil over low heat. Add the Maui onions, red onions, shallots, and garlic and saute until very tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the veal stock and chicken stock and simmer until reduced by one-quarter, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, season, and set aside keeping warm. Place the bread slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season and place in the oven until toasted, about five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place six soup crocks on a sheet pan and ladle some soup into each. Set a piece of bread in the center and top with more soup. Set a piece of bread in the center and sprinkle with cheeses. Place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside keeping warm.

For the ribollita, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium saucepan, cover the cannelloni beans, lemon, bay leaf, onion halves, and cloves with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about one hour. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the beans and liquid separately and discard the aromatics. In a large saucepan, heat three tablespoons of the oil over medium heat and saute the scallions and garlic until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the chard and saute until wilted, about two minutes. A the tomatoes and saute until soft, about three minute-"" beans, reserved cooking liquid, parsl" "" until warmed through. Remove from the heat, season, and set aside. Arrange six terracotta dishes on a sheet pan and fill each with ribollita. Set two slices of bread on top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Place in the oven to bake until golden brown, about five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside keeping warm.