Humble White Bean Stew

This is a story about a Parmesan rind that was not discarded and how it transformed a Humble White Bean Stew. Many of you know this, but for those who may not, don’t toss Parmesan rinds! They act as a flavorbomb when added to soups, stews and sauces. Poof, magic! This dish is ideal to have on hand during the holidays as it’s belly filling and nourishing and can handle all of your veggie scraps if you choose to add them. This is an excellent way to avoid waste!

Humble White Bean Stew
Serves a small crowd, say about 6 hungry friends. 

Ingredients-
2-4 Tbs olive oil1 sweet onion, diced 

3 stalks celery, sliced1 medium carrot, dicedLarge

handful shiitake mushrooms (dried fine- rehydrate), stems removed and sliced

Handful of assorted fresh herbs- thyme, rosemary, sage, dill... choose what you like. 

2 cups white beans, I used sorana (on the smaller side), soaked overnight or fresh if available from your local farmers market

8 cups vegetable stock or water

2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced

1 package baby spinach

Notes-

*when I cook beans and want them to break down a bit so the base thickens and is “creamy” I don’t introduce salt until they’re tender as some of the skins will burst. If you want the beans intact, salt at the beginning and even during soaking (science from The Food Lab by Kenji López-Alt). Totally your preference.
*this dish doesn’t require a formal recipe. If you have any veggie scraps, this is a great opportunity to use them up! Just remember, if this is your vehicle for that, every batch will taste slightly different. 

Method-

1- Preheat a large pot over medium heat, Dutch oven ideal, and cook onion until beginning to caramelize, stir frequently to avoid burning and splash in a couple of Tbs of water to hasten the process, about 5-8 minutes. Add celery and carrots and sauté until they begins to sweat, add mushrooms and continue. Toss in beans and fresh herbs and stir to coat. 

2- Add stock/water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Allow to cook until beans are just tender (think al dente), about 1 hour (time will depend upon the beans you choose and their age). Be patient, some take longer than others. Check liquid in case more is needed, if so, add some boiling water. Add Parmesan rind and potatoes, cover and continue to cook until beans and potatoes are tender. Remove lid season with sea salt and pepper and continue to simmer. This can’t overcook. It will simply thicken ars it goes as some beans will break and the potatoes will release starch. Just before serving, stir in (baby) spinach. Garnish with some fresh grated Parmesan, drizzle with good olive oil and enjoy!