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Friulian Bean and Sauerkraut Soup
PAIR WITH
Everything Rye Muffins
(PAGE 170)
Olive and Prosciutto Rolls
(PAGE 163)
I had this somewhat unlikely-sounding soup, called
jota
in Friulian dialect, in Trieste, in the far northeastern part of Italy. The city has alternately been part of Slovenia or Italy for centuries (it’s a border town), thus this very Slavic-looking soup of sauerkraut, potatoes, and beans. I know it sounds weird, but once you try it, you’ll be hooked. Not overtly sauerkraut-y and perfectly hearty without being heavy, it’s just the thing for a snowy evening. The soup can be made vegan by omitting the pancetta and using vegetable broth
.
This soup is best with either an eastern European bread or muffin
(see page 170)
or an Italian bread or roll
(see page 163)
.
SERVES
4 TO 6
ACTIVE TIME
15
MINUTES
TOTAL TIME
45
MINUTES
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
3 oz [85 g] pancetta, chopped (buy a thick slab from the butcher and chop it yourself for the best texture)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
6 whole juniper berries, coarsely crushed with the bottom of a heavy pan
1
/
2
cup [120 ml] dry white wine
6 cups [1.4 L] chicken or vegetable broth
(see page 17)
3 cups [500 g] cooked cranberry or borlotti beans
(see page 19)
, or two 15-oz [425-g] cans cranberry or borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
1 lb [455 g] sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed
1 lb [455 g] Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1
/
4
cup [7 g] chopped fresh Italian parsley, for garnish
1.
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the pancetta and onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, and juniper berries and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the wine and cook, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the wine has nearly evaporated, about 1 minute.
2.
Add the chicken broth, beans, sauerkraut, potatoes, and bay leaf to the pot.
Cover and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently (especially on the bottom of the pot to make sure the potatoes aren’t sticking) until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have melded, about 20 minutes.
Discard the bay leaf.
Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
3.
Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle each one with parsley, and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve immediately.
GET AHEAD:
Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken with time, which is actually a nice thing, I think. By day four, I treat the leftovers more like the French sauerkraut casserole
choucroute garni
, perhaps adding a grilled kielbasa to the mix to change things up. This soup does not freeze particularly well as it causes the sauerkraut to break up too much.