British cookery writer Nigel Slater just tweeted:
“Today I need cake!”
I know what he means–and he’s not talking about a slice of jam sponge at teatime with Earl Grey tea in bone china cups.
He means fortification against a day full of angst and metaphoric clichés:
Nail-biting, knife-edge, in the balance, too-close-to-call, could-go-either-way, toss-up.
Stop my ears! Reach for the soup bowl.
Cake –not so good for the diabetic community. But I’ve found the very thing to get us through–a delicious way to calm the collywobbles and look on the bright side (there I go! It’s catching.).
A classic from Tuscany:
White bean soup with cabbage—fortification indeed at lunch AND dinner if need be.
I love a BIG soup to get your mooch around–served piping hot with a swirl of olive oil.
This is it from my second cookbook and (whispered) my favourite: Healthy Eating for Life.
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Cabbage
Serves 4
An autumn/winter soup with a big presence.
(Adapted from Leslie Forbes’ lovely A Table in Tuscany)
7 tbsp olive oil plus olive oil to swirl in each bowl
2 sticks of celery and 2 carrots – chopped small
2 leeks or onions – chopped small
3 or 4 tinned/canned tomatoes – chopped up with their liquid
1 large garlic clove – pulped
sprig of fresh thyme
1 whole green cabbage – quartered, stem removed and shredded
800g/28oz cooked white beans – canned or bottled , drained (but their liquid retained)
500ml/1 pint stock (I use vegetable cubes)
- Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan. Sweat the celery, carrots and leeks until tender – about 20 minutes.
- Mix in the tomatoes, garlic and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes. Add half the shredded cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Purée three-quarters of the beans in a mixer with a little of their liquid. Add the bean water and the bean purée to the soup and stir together. Cook for an hour, stirring it regularly to stop it sticking and burning. Add a little of the stock each time you stir. This is meant to be a thick soup; it’s up to you how loose you make it, just be careful not to dilute the depth of taste. While the soup cooks, sauté the rest of the cabbage in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to serve as a topping when you present the soup.
- Serve hot with swirls of your best olive oil.
Robin Ellis 
Dear Robin, I love this soup. Made it last week for the nth time. It’s perfect for this day. Writing from New York State and trying to stay hopeful.
Sue
Stay hopeful.
Love the hat
Had to go back and look for the hat! Yes! Love it!
My favorite soup recipe in the world! I make this more than often. Never get tired of it.
hi Mary!
I’m going to go out and buy a cabbage and white beans right now. That soup sounds delicious! My vegetarian husband will also live it. Thanks for sharing it.
Great soup recipe. I am more concerned about the US Senate race. Currently, the Democrats lead. There are 6 positions to be decided, cross your fingers that at least 2 go to the Democrats (all 6 would be better). Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives. Having protein for breakfast and the rest of today. Maybe cake this evening.
Pity you had to bring politics into a foodie blog, Chris. Because, after all, you might acknowledge that many of us don’t agree with you.
I presume Mr E does, or he wouldn’t have allowed your comment! So he probably won’t allow THIS one!
He appears to believe in free speech (yours & mine). He gave a soup recipe because he has concerns over how the election is going; at least that is how I read it.
I take a bit of comfort in that he posted this; “Take a bunch of frazzled nerves. Add some good news and a few reliable facts and wake up feeling refreshed and surprised at how things worked out!”
Tomorrow is a new day and I choose to live a positive life however the elections resolve. I also choose to try out a great soup recipe.
No soup today, I took a large slow cooker of vegetable beef soup to my polling place yesterday (I was a poll worker). None was left by the end of the verrrrryy
long day. Will have simple food today and resolutely ignore the “experts”, patiently wait for every single vote to be counted. Accurately. Fingers crossed on the outcome.
Good work, Mary!
Meredith writing here: Thank you, Mary, for your service to American democracy in this time of COVID.
Hi, Robin. Thanks for that. Yummy!
I see you’re using beans from a jar. Whenever I go to France I always stock up on chick peas in jars. Much much better than canned! Sometimes they appear in UK supermarkets, but rarely. I wonder why.
I have jar of white beans in the larder, just one precious jar – I know what they’re destined for now!
Go for it–it’ll be worth it!
thank you … waaaaay out here in California, we’re a bunch of frazzled nerves too!
Take a bunch of frazzled nerves. Add some good news and a few reliable facts and wake up feeling refreshed and surprised at how things worked out!
Thank you so much Robin. Needed that today in the US. Why is soup so comforting – I guess it’s truly soul food – feeds the stomach and nourishes the soul. Got the cabbage and veggies in the fridge, beans in the food cabinet and even some fresh thyme the frost didn’t kill. Happy to know you’re watching and waiting too. Hoping and prayin’ for a good outcome.
Robin, thanks for recipe! It’s been a nail biter to say the least. Speaking of beans there’s a famous recipe called Senate bean soup. It’s a popular soup served at the US Senate cafeteria it’s rather good it has ham hocks in it but I’m sure you could replace it with spanish paprika to keep it vegetarian and healthier. Beans for Biden Yea!!
Robin, I made the borlotti bean and Savoy cabbage soup from your latest book last week, and because I still had leftover ingredients, I made it the next day as well. It was a hit. Also made this one ^^^ several times too. Good god man, get yourself cookbook holder with an acrylic shield. 😳🤗😉🙂
I had to have an extra slice of banana bread when I heard the good news that Joe is turning Georgia!
Fully justified indulgence!
Sounds tasty & tummy warming.