Altered States

We get a lot of emails from readers who write to say they enjoy our recipes, and, of course, we love hearing that. Often, they tell us about the alterations they made to a recipe: “Instead of using this I used that; instead of grilling it I broiled it.” We love hearing that as well.
    At Relish, we think that’s what cooking is all about—finding a recipe you like and playing with it to make it suit not only your own tastes but your lifestyle as well.
    Here’s an altered version of White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard, a Relish recipe from 2006. The original called for cooking dried beans in a slow cooker for 5 to 6 hours, great for the weekends, but not so great when you’re starting to make dinner at 7:00 p.m. With a few alterations, including using canned cannellini beans instead of dried and store-bought broth instead of water, the recipe becomes a quick, hearty weeknight soup.
    Have you successfully tweaked a Relish recipe? Let us hear from you.    

Weeknight White Bean Soup with Swiss Chard

1    tablespoon olive oil
1    fennel bulb, chopped
3    leeks, thinly sliced (white part only)
2    (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4    teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
6    cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1    bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
    Baguette slices
    Shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add fennel and leeks; sauté 5 minutes. Add beans and broth. Bring to a simmer. If desired, mash some of beans with a potato masher to make a creamy consistency. Stir in Swiss chard. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until chard is tender.
2. Top baguette slices with cheese. Toast until cheese melts and bread is crispy. Serve with soup. Serves 8.