“Uhnda Presha” – Pressure Cooker Italian Bean Soup Recipe
I’m not sure how one would phonetically spell the title of the 80’s Queen/David Bowie hit, but I will probably forever hear it in Bowie’s melodic British accent. And it was with those pop-y lyrics playing in the back of my mind that I finally decided to break in my new pressure cooker on a pot of soup that usually takes hours.
Even though so many of my foodie co-workers rave about theirs (which is what initially persuaded me to get one) I’d been hesitant to actually use mine. I guess I had heard a few too many explosive tales about the pressure cooker mishaps of my parents’ generation.
My other hesitation came from a general lack of soup-making prowess. I honestly don’t know why I’m so confounded by making what is arguably one of the easiest things ever. How could so few ingredients and such a simple process turn out something delicious? I ask myself. As with most things, lack of practice equals lack of confidence. But now that I had a couple of nice ham hocks in my refrigerator, and freezing them was not an option, so I was pretty much committed.
I decided to put an end to my annual befuddlement and write down an actual recipe. In the end those few ingredients indeed turned into a deliciously rustic and satisfying soup, the making of which was every bit as easy it should be. Using the pressure cooker sped up the process by a good hour. And now that I actually know how to use mine, I’m as excited about the “presha” as everyone else seems to be.
I’ve always made this soup the traditional way until this year. Either way works great, but using the pressure cooker really sped the cooking time up and made the beans incredibly tender, yet still slightly firm. For a vegetarian version simply omit the ham hocks and substitute good quality vegetable stock for the water. I would also add a second parmesan rind and this gives the soup a lovely rich flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried cannellini beans, soaked 12 hours and drained
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 medium celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cups minced yellow onion
- 1 hot chili pepper, seeded and minced
- 2 Tbsps chopped garlic
- 2 Tbsps tomato paste
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 1/2 quarts (14 cups) water
- 2 meaty ham hocks (1-1/2 to 2 lbs total)
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs or 2 tsps dried thyme
- 1 fresh sage sprig or ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 thick parmesan rind, optional
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch Lacinato kale (also called Italian kale or cavolo nero), stemmed and roughly chopped
- Fresh parmesan for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pressure cooker until shimmering. Add carrots, celery, onion and chili pepper and sauté three minutes. Add garlic and sauté one more minute. Stir in tomato paste, cook another minute, then deglaze pot with wine.
- Add tomatoes with their juice, water, ham hocks, herbs, parmesan rind and drained beans. Close lid and bring to pressure. (Note: I used the high setting on mine which gets to a temp of 250° and 15 PSI of pressure.)
- Cook for 20 minutes, release pressure (quick or slow method works here) and carefully remove lid once pressure is fully released.
- Remove and discard thyme stems (the leaves will have all dropped off into the soup), sage sprig and bay leaves. Remove ham hocks and any large chunks of meat that have fallen from the bone and set aside.
- Taste soup and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add kale to pot, return lid and bring back to high pressure for two minutes longer. Release pressure using quick release method according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Carefully remove ham from bones and cut or shred meat into small pieces. Stir ham into hot soup and serve with fresh grated parmesan if desired.
- Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot until shimmering. Add carrots, celery, onion and chili pepper and sauté three minutes. Add garlic and sauté one more minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook another minute, then deglaze pot with wine.
- Add tomatoes with their juice, water, ham hocks, herbs, parmesan rind and drained beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about two hours, until beans are tender.
- When beans are tender remove and discard thyme stems (the leaves will have all dropped off into the soup), sage sprig and bay leaves. Remove ham hocks and any large chunks of meat that have fallen from the bone and set aside.
- Taste soup and season with salt and pepper if needed. Add kale to pot, bring back to a low boil and simmer, covered, 10 more minutes.
- While kale cooks carefully remove ham from bones and cut or shred meat into small pieces. Stir ham into hot soup and serve with fresh grated parmesan if desired.
Soup photo credit: Carmyarmyofme via photopin cc
