CookEat Recipe
Yellow Cornmeal and Bean Soup
A soft yellow cornmeal soup made with sieved white beans, long-cooked cabbage, thyme and tomato-flavoured oil.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 400 ml dried white beans, measured by volume; About 2 litres fresh cooking water, with extra hot water as needed, plus water for soaking; Half a medium head of white or Savoy cabbage, finely shredded; Salt, black pepper and a little thyme; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole; 3 tablespoons plain tomato passata, or 1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted with a little water; About 100 g fine yellow cornmeal, adjusted to keep the soup softly liquid.
Step 2
Soak the beans in plenty of water in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight. Discard the soaking water, rinse and cover with the fresh cooking water. Boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes, then simmer until fully tender, adding hot water as needed. Allow about 60–90 minutes in total depending on the beans.
Step 3
Press all the cooked beans through a sieve into their cooking liquid. Add the shredded cabbage, salt, pepper and thyme and simmer gently for about 2 hours, as in the source. Add hot water to keep the mixture loose and stir regularly so the bean purée does not catch.
Step 4
Heat the oil in a small pan with the two whole peeled garlic cloves. Brown the cloves, then remove and discard them. Add the passata or diluted tomato paste, season with a little salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes. Pour this flavoured oil and tomato into the cabbage and bean soup.
Step 5
Sprinkle in the cornmeal a little at a time while whisking or stirring with the other hand to prevent lumps. Stop adding it while the soup is still somewhat liquid. Cook gently for the time specified on the cornmeal package, often 20–30 minutes for fine cornmeal, stirring frequently and adding hot water if needed. Serve as a soft spoonable soup, not a firm polenta.
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