INGREDIENTS:1 lb. dry white beans (Great Northern or navy beans), washed
6 quarts prepared vegetable broth
2 cups dry white wine
1 lb. onions, chunked
½ ounce garlic cloves
1 cup parsley, packed
3 bay leaves
3 cups tomato juice
2 lbs., 4 oz. ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and cut into small dice
3 oz. California Dried Tomato julienne
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
3 lbs. young string beans, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces, blanched and shucked
3 lbs. zucchini, 4-inch, sliced lengthwise into ribbons with vegetable peeler
¼ cup (approximately) lemon juice
as needed, salt and pepper
1 ½ cups basil leaves, thinly sliced
6 oz. aged Jack cheese, coarsely gratedDIRECTIONS:Soak beans overnight in 6 quarts water. Combine broth and wine in stock pot. Tie onions, garlic, parsley and bay leaves in cheesecloth package. Add juice, ripe tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and thyme to stockpot. Simmer 10 minutes. Add string beans and zucchini to soup shortly before serving. Simmer 10 minutes. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Per serving: ladle 1 ¼ cups soup into bowl. Stir in 1 Tbsp. basil. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. cheese.SERVINGS:24 servings, 1 ¼ cups eachFrom:Chef Charles Saunders, East Side Oyster Bar & Grill, Sonoma, Calif.PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: HUNT'S CALIFORNIA DRIED TOMATOES
