Beans, greens provide base for homey, hearty soup

Substituting canned beans can cut down on cooking time.

It’s become a weekly ritual this winter: After I walk the dog and have my coffee, I’ll pour a pound of dry beans into a Dutch oven; fill it with water; add some salt, a glug of olive oil, half an onion, maybe a carrot, a few cloves of garlic, a dried chile pepper and a bay leaf; and bring it to a low boil.

I learned this basic recipe from baker Rick Easton, of Bread and Salt Bakery in Jersey City, but it’s no secret. My editor Joe Yonan, author of “Cool Beans,” has written about a very similar formula.

As the beans simmer, they fill my apartment with warm, savory smells. Once they’re done, I serve myself a small bowl of the soft beans to taste them. I might add a little more salt, freshly cracked black pepper, tomato paste, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar.

Depending on the type of bean, once they’re cool, I might mash some for beanand-cheese tacos or puree them into a dip to eat with flatbread. I usually freeze a pint of them to use later.

Often, I find myself with more than one kind of bean hanging out in the refrigerator or freezer, and that’s how this mixed-beans-and-greens soup was born.

I wanted a soup that smelled like the comforts of home, so I started by sauteing some diced onion and carrot, then added garlic, a bit of ham, a bay leaf and broth. I finished it with a couple kinds of cooked beans — though if you only have one kind, that works fine — plus dark leafy greens.

No time to simmer a pot of beans? I know that can be one chore too many, and I know not everyone has the ability to work from their kitchen. That’s why this recipe is written for convenience. Using economical and efficient canned beans here means this soup comes together in less than an hour — though it tastes like it simmered all day.

While it cooks, I suggest making a batch of crunchy breadcrumbs seasoned with rosemary. Then, when it’s time to serve, you can sprinkle some on top of each bowl. They’ll perfume each spoonful with rosemary’s wintry, piney scent.