friulian bean and sauerkraut soup

jota

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, 30 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

The flavors of this soup deepen a day or two after making, so try making it ahead when you can.

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Ingredients

10½ ounces dried borlotti (cranberry) beans (1¾ cups), soaked overnight, drained
3½ ounces pork shoulder, cubed
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
4 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon rendered lard
2 tablespoons cornmeal
3½ ounces pancetta
10½ ounces sauerkraut (about 3 cups)
Salt

Instructions

Place beans and pork shoulder in a 4- to 5-quart saucepan and cover with 7 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, skimming foam occasionally and adding water, if necessary, to keep beans just covered, until beans are just tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Finely chop together onion, garlic, parsley and sage.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 seconds. Stir flour into soup. Add lard and onion mixture to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add cornmeal, stir to combine, and cook about 2 minutes more. Stir mixture into soup.

Add pancetta to skillet and heat over medium heat; cook, stirring, until golden. Add sauerkraut, cook for 1 minute more, then add mixture to soup.

Return soup to a gentle simmer and cook until beans are tender and flavors have blended, about 35 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm.

December 2008