Simple Food: White Bean, Parmesan, and Chard Soup

With Thanksgiving behind us and weather dropping into the 20’s at night, I decided to harvest almost all of the remaining chard that has given us 8 full months of greens. I might be wrong, but it probably won’t survive such cold nights for much longer. And after a bit of gluttony (way too much whipping cream and butter hidden in rich holiday dishes), we were craving something simple and light.

With only five ingredients (six if you count the olive oil used to sauté the garlic), this soup is simple, efficient, cheap, and nourishing. Whip this together for a hearty winter lunch with a hunk of crusty bread, or serve it in place of a salad before dinner.

White Bean, Parmesan, and Chard Soup

• 12 small chard leaves (or 6 large)
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups cannellini beans
• 2 to 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese (use a high-quality cheese: it makes a difference with so few ingredients!)

Remove tough stems on chard and discard. Slice leaves into thin ribbons and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat and add smashed garlic cloves. Cook until fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic or it will become bitter). Add broth, chard, and 1/2 of the parmesan. Simmer for 20 minutes, until chard is tender and parmesan is melted.

Garnish with remaining parmesan, and serve immediately.