La Ribollita - Tuscan Bean and Vegetable Soup

A month in Tuscany, and what better Italian dish to enjoy than La Ribollita, the Tuscan Bean and Vegetable Soup? On returning home, I was determined to make this for family and friends. Some of the recipes I have seen don't include the second cooking, but this seems to be a necessity. This soup is so thick you can stand a spoon up in it.

2 1/2 cups of dried haricot beans, soaked overnight and drained
2 tablesp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
small piece hot chilli pepper
1 ham bone
salt and pepper

Garnish:
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
1 sprig thyme, finely chopped
8 slices bread, toasted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and gently fry the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, leeks, rosemary and the piece of chilli until they begin to turn brown. Add the beans and ham bone. Cover with water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Remove the ham bone and process half the beans in a blender or food processor, then return to the soup.
Heat 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil and gently fry the the crushed garlic cloves and thyme until golden. Strain half the oil into the soup, discard the garlic. Stir the soup well.
Arrange the slices of toast at the bottom of a wide casserole dish, sprinkle with half the parmesan cheese and pour the soup over the top. Cover with the onion slices and add the rest of the oil and grated parmesan cheese. Cook in a moderate oven (375 F, 180 C) for about half an hour.

Guavas in Syrup

My neighbour has a guava tree but does not like guavas. She gives them to me and I cook them up in this simple syrup. Don't forget the tot of rum or other liquor, it seems to round off the flavour. This is delicious with vanilla ice cream.

About 1 dozen medium guavas, peeled and sliced
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
A tot of rum or other spirits

Slowly bring the water and sugar to the boil in a pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add the guavas and the rum.
Gently poach until the fruit is soft.

Baked Pears in Syrup

This is a perfect dessert: easy to make, delicious to eat. I enjoy these pears just on their own, but they are also good with ice cream.


8 to 10 firm large Bosc pears
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
juice of one lemon

Peel and core the pears, and cut them into quarters. Make the syrup by combining sugar, water and lemon juice in a pan on the stove top. Cook for about five minutes, and then pour the syrup over the peeled pears. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Place pears in shallow baking dish, and pour the syrup over them. Bake for about one hour or until the pears are tender. The syrup will reduce and thicken. Turn pears when half done.

Indian Melon Curry

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 brown onion, finely chopped
2 thin slices fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/4 to one chilli pepper, minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cardamon seeds, crushed
pinch of salt
3 cups rock melon or honeydew melon, cubed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey

Heat oil. Fry onion, fresh ginger, chilli pepper until soft.
Add turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin and crushed cardamon. Stir and fry for one minute.
Add melon cubes, and stir to combine with spices.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add the lemon juice and honey. Mix well, bring to boil over medium heat.
Simmer one or two minutes to heat the melon.
Serve hot or cold.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 thin slices laos, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh chilli, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon blachan shrimp paste
1 cup cooked meat, finely sliced
1/2 cup cashew nuts
3 to 4 cups cooked rice
spring onions or fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Heat the oil. Add onions, garlic, fresh chilli and laos, and gently fry until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add coriander, cumin and blachan and stir for about one minute.
Add nuts and cooked meat.
Add the cooked rice, and gently heat.
Serve garnished with spring onions or fresh coriander leaves.

Note: laos, a spice much like fresh ginger, can be found in oriental shops or some vegetable shops. If you cannot obtain it, you may leave it out.