Autumn - Soup #1

My dear readers, please forgive my absence. It's been too long since I last posted. Hang in there with me, as I have been very busy with life stuff and have been lacking a bit of inspiration, culinarily-speaking. But... with the new season, most certainly comes new inspiration.

Here in SoCal, we had our first crisp day with temperatures dipping around 67 degrees. Just lovely cooking weather, and especially ideal for soup. May I present to you:

Vegetable, Bean, and Toasted Bread Soup

Extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth or stock
1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of whole tomatoes, quartered, plus 1/2 the juices
2 c leafy greens, like swiss chard (I used the leaves from the end of a bunch of beets!)
1/2 loaf of crusty, day-old bread, ripped in large pieces
salt and pepper
1 tbsp each of fresh basil and cilantro (optional)
parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic until transparent. Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 min. Add chicken stock and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, juice, and chard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then bring the soup back to a simmer for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, turn the oven to 350 degrees. Spread out the bread pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast for 10 minutes.

To serve, top each bowl of soup with a sprinkle of basil and cilantro. Top with toasted bread and shredded parmesan cheese.

This soup should keep you warm all through the fall and winter. Bon appetit!