Redo Two!

Okay, we’ve probably actually redone this particular recipe, the White Bean and Spinach Soup from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, seven or eight times.

However, I think this is only the second time I’ve posted about a replication. The first time, found here, is about the garnishes Katzen calls for (and how they were no good). This time, I want to discuss freezing the soup.

Basically, it doesn’t freeze well. Most of it does, but the greens do not. I’m not really sure why they don’t, since I expected it to freeze well. However, the freeze and reheat cycle leaves them disintegrating and not terribly palatable. I’m sure this isn’t a microwave issue, simply because reheating the following day is fine.

This makes a pretty sizable recipe, though, so I’ve been considering ways in which it could be changed to freeze better. As I think I’ve mentioned, we try to minimize leftovers day after day, but really love to have leftovers in the freezer for those “no inspiration to cook” or “too busy to do all the chopping” or “don’t want to cook” days.

The nice thing about this recipe is that the greens go in very near the end. So, I think next time I make this, I’ll make everything up to the greens. The greens cook up fairly quickly, so I’ll portion out that evening’s soup and wilt greens in that, and store the rest “ungreened”.

This will require a bit more advance planning for reheating what’s in the freezer, but not a lot. Just to have some greens on hand to add to a portion. It’s major downside, actually, is that it will have to be reheated in a pot with a lid, rather than in the microwave. The extra dishes are a downer, but not enough to derail this, I think. The time savings is pretty big, and the soup is quite delicious and healthful, so I’m betting it’ll be a worthwhile trade off.

2 thoughts on “Redo Two!

  1. I checked back at your original post about this recipe, and I noticed you recommended against the specific type of beans you used, because they fell apart. Now that you’ve made this soup several more times, could you please tell us what kind of beans do work well, and maybe amend the original post so folks know what to use?

    • Sure! I’ll comment here first, then make a quick addendum over there. Thanks for the suggestion.

      Basically, it’s not that Great Northern beans don’t work, it’s that canned beans are mushy. When I have used canned beans, it has been less good than when I have quick soaked and cooked them myself.

      Typically, I use cannelli beans, but that’s just because they are the least expensive organic white bean at Whole Foods. As I move to buying beans from Nichols Farm, I’ll end up buying whatever white beans they sell, since it appears at the moment that’s all they sell.

      I’m terrified, to be honest, to buy the Nichols Farm beans. Those beans, while dried, are going to be a lot fresher and thus cook up a lot faster (from what my bean expert friends tell me). I’m sure I’m going to make mashed beans at least the first few times I make them.

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