Chef T's Cannellini Bean Stew

Chef T's take on America's Test Kitchen's Tuscan white bean soup. This comes out great in the Instant Pot but is do-able on the stove. I'm sure you could throw in some white wine if you had it around, too. Great for late winter/early spring.

1 lb white beans

Salt

1/2 ounce dried porcini or other dried mushroom (optional but delicious)

A good amount of olive oil, 2-4 tbsp

1 onion, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped 

1-2 stalks celery, chopped (optional, but good if you have them)

3 anchovy fillets (and why not a put a little anchovy oil in as well). Feel free to substitute patis (fish sauce)

Too much garlic, chopped. At least 8 cloves.

16 oz can tomatoes, whole and then crushed by hand or just diced, with tomato juice

1 big bunch curly kale (not dino kale)

2 bay leaves

Parmesan rind, if you have one

1.5 tsp salt. Feel free to substitute whatever amount of soy sauce has the same amount of sodium

Heaping tablespoon white miso paste (optional)

1 sprig rosemary

Instructions

1. Soak 1 lb of cannellini beans in a gallon of water with 3 tbsp salt for at least 8 hours, preferably 24. Drain and rinse thoroughly. More maximum garlic, go on and throw lots of garlic powder in the salty bath, too.

2. Soak the dried porcini in 2 cups warm water for at least 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the water. Chop the mushrooms. 

3. Heat pot over medium. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion, cook for 7-10 minutes.

4. Add carrots, green bell pepper, celery, and anchovy. Cook for 5 minutes.

5. Add too much garlic, cook for 30 seconds to a minute

6. Add tomatoes (and their juices), kale, 6-8 cups water (use the liquid reserved from the dried mushrooms if you did this), drained cannellini beans, bay leaves, salt, and Parmesan rind

7. Cook. If using Instant Pot, go for 35 minutes at high pressure followed by 20 minute natural release. If doing stovetop, cook a long time until the beans are tender.

8. Take the soup off the heat. Put in the rosemary, give it a stir, and let it steep for 15 minutes, then remove. Remove the bay leaves and the Parmesan rind (if you want). Throw in the miso paste and stir.