Italian-style white bean soup with Karoo lamb and white wine

SERVES 6

I wrote this recipe for my friends at Lamb and Mutton South Africa as part of a ‘Fresh take on Winter’ series, and they’ve agreed to share it in my book. This recipe uses white haricot beans (almost like Italian cannellini beans) available in most supermarkets in bags labelled ‘small white beans’.

They are very smooth in texture and do not fall apart as easily as their red speckled cousins, resulting in a non-stodgy, slightly thickened brothy soup with chunks of deliciously tender meat. Made with chicken stock and white wine instead of mutton/beef stock, the soup is also lighter in colour and just looks ‘fresher’. A dollop of punchy green salsa verde adds just the right kick. A single lamb knuckle, sliced by your butcher, is enough to add the meatiness that this soup needs. It’s an economical way of serving a stylish soup in a fresh way. Serve with crusty bread, if you like.

Soup

• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

• about 600 g lamb knuckle, sliced horizontally by your butcher

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 - 2 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 1 large (or 2 medium-size) carrots, peeled and finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

• 2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock

• 500 g small white (haricot) beans

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• bread, for serving (optional)

Salsa verde

• handful each of fresh parsley, basil and mint

• 1 clove garlic, peeled

• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) capers

• 15 - 30 ml (1 - 2 tablespoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 45 - 60 ml (3 - 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

• a pinch fine salt

• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) Dijon mustard

To make the soup, heat the oil over high heat in a large pot (at least 6 litres capacity), then fry the lamb (cut larger chunks in half) in batches until browned on both sides. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside, then turn down the heat to medium. Don’t season the meat yet, otherwise the beans will not soften.

Add the onion, celery and carrots to the same pot and fry until soft, stirring often (add a little more oil if needed). Add the garlic and rosemary (add the sprigs whole, you can remove the woody stems later) and fry for another minute. The bottom of the pot should be coated with sticky brown bits by now. Add the wine and stir to deglaze.

Return the fried meat with all the juices to the pot, then add the stock and beans and stir. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low and cook for 2½ to 3 hours until the meat is falling from the bones and the beans are really tender.

Season well with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

To make the salsa verde, chop all the ingredients together by hand or in a food processor. Taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed. Serve the soup in bowls with a dollop of salsa verde (and some crusty bread for dipping, optionally).

Cape Mediterranean is available online at Loot.co.za www.exclusivebooks.co.za www.readerswarehouse.co.za and takealot.com