Meneste Soup
Meneste - Escarole and White Bean soup
Meneste was the first recipe Mary and I ever cooked together. It was early into dating my husband and just prior to traveling back to see our families, he couldn’t say enough warm and admiring things about his mom, Mary. To calm my nerves, I suggested that perhaps we should try cooking something together. She introduced me to Meneste and while this gave us a comfortable ground to start getting to know each other, it also became emblematic of our relationship too; warm, nourishing with just a hint of spicy (humor) kick.
Ingredients:
3 heads of escarole, rinsed and chopped
2 stick pepperoni, 8oz., chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 cups chicken stock (or broth)
2 x 15 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Steps:
Rinse escarole thoroughly, drain and chop leaves. Set aside
Add a heavy drizzle (2-3 Tbsp) of olive oil to the soup pot & warm on medium heat
Add chopped pepperoni
Saute until you start to see the oil start to release and the pepperoni starts to brown (approx 2-3 minutes)
Add chopped garlic and lightly sauté for a few minutes until softened
Add cannellini beans, chicken stock and escarole. Stir to combine
Add a dash of red pepper flakes (to preferred taste or heat level)
Cover pot and let simmer for at least an hour
Serve steamy bowls of Meneste with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and our famous Freselles!
Because we can’t resist fun variations, here are a few other options to consider:
Replace the pepperoni with salt pork
Make this soup vegan friendly, try omitting the pepperoni and substituting butternut squash and vegetable stock
Enjoy!
