White Bean & Garlic Soup - Legume Recipe # 3

So I know I am overdue to post Legume Recipe # 3. As I mentioned, we were all battling the stomach flu last week so cooking anything with beans did not sound appealing. But by Sunday night we were all on the mend, so this soup was calling my name. When I was pregnant my girlfriend Julie told me about a version of this soup she had made and how wonderful it was. Being a fan of all things Giada, I couldn’t believe I had missed this recipe in her first 3 cookbooks ( I think it was because she hadn’t posted a picture until her 4th book, Giada’s Kitchen , I guess I am just a sucker for photos…) So having seen that she had printed this recipe in all of her cookbooks, I figured she was trying to tell us something, like maybe, “make this“….The first time I made this soup it was great, but I felt like it needed a little something, so I added some dried rosemary and it gave the soup a much better depth of flavor. I also don’t add the cream, the soup is creamy enough, and I don’t miss it, plus no cholesterol! Which means Jon can eat bowlfuls without the guilt......gotta keep my man from wasting away! I always serve this with hunks of sourdough, ciabatta , or crostini for dipping!

Makes 6 Servings
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Shallots , Chopped
2 Sage Leaves
2 (15 oz) Cans Cannelini (White) Beans, Rinsed & Drained
4 Garlic Cloves, Peeled & Halved
4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ Tsp Dried Crushed Rosemary
Salt & Pepper

Place soup pot over medium high heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened about 3 minutes. Add the sage, beans, garlic, rosemary and stir additional 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until the garlic is softened. Use immersion blender (you can buy a decent one for as little as $10, and they are great for all things soup! I have a fancy Kitchen Aid one (Thanks Mary!) and they are a great kitchen tool.) if you don’t have an immersion blender then use a real blender but be careful, because the soup will be very hot and expand. Blend until creamy and smooth (about a 30 seconds). Season with salt and pepper, add more rosemary if needed. Serve with hot crusty bead and a little olive oil!