MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Slow Cooker Ribollita w/Smoked Mozzarella Toasts
 Categories: Soups, Breads, Vegetables, Chilies, Beans
      Yield: 6-8 servings
 
MMMMM----------------------------SOUP---------------------------------
    1/4 c  Olive oil; more for
           - drizzling
      1 lg Onion; fine chopped
           Salt & black pepper
      1 lg Leek; trimmed, white/lt
           - green parts sliced
      3    Celery ribs; fine chopped
      1 sm Fennel bulb; bulb cored,
           - fine chopped, fronds
           - reserved
     14 cl Garlic; smashed, rough
           - chopped
      2    Dried bay leaves
      1 ts Red-pepper flakes; more for
           - serving
      1 c  Dry white wine
      5 c  Chicken stock
  1 1/2 c  Dried white beans
     15 oz Can crushed tomatoes
      3    Fresh thyme sprig
           +=OR=+
      1 ts Dried thyme
      1    Fresh rosemary sprig
           +=OR=+
    1/2 ts Dried rosemary
      2 tb Fresh lemon juice
      1 bn Kale, chard or collards;
           - stemmed, fine chopped
           +=OR=+
     10 oz Bag frozen chopped spinach
           - or kale
      2 ts Balsamic vinegar

MMMMM---------------------------TOASTS--------------------------------
      8 sl (thick) crusty bread
      1 cl Garlic; halved
           Olive oil
      8 oz Mozzarella; in 8 (1/4"
           - thick) slices
 
  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over
  medium. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook,
  stirring occasionally, until limp and translucent, 6 to
  8 minutes. Add the leek, celery and fennel, season with
  salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened
  and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped garlic,
  bay leaves, red-pepper flakes and white wine; season
  generously with black pepper. Stir well and let the wine
  come to a simmer before turning off the heat.
  
  Scrape the mixture into a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker. Add
  the stock, beans, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and lemon
  juice. Cook until the beans are tender and creamy, about
  6 hours on high or 12 hours on low.
  
  Before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves and
  herb sprigs. Switch the slow cooker to high (if it's not
  already), and stir in the greens and vinegar.
  
  Let the greens cook while you make the toasts: Turn on
  your broiler. Rub the bread slices with the halved
  garlic and drizzle them with olive oil. Position a rack
  6" from the broiler, then toast sliced bread under the
  broiler until very light golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1
  slice of mozzarella to each toast and broil until
  softened and browned in spots. Taste the soup and season
  to taste with salt and pepper.
  
  Divide the soup among bowls and add a mozzarella toast
  to each bowl. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds,
  and additional black pepper or red-pepper flakes, if
  desired.
  
  Recipe by Sarah Digregorio
  
  RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
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