‘Food is memories, it’s travel, it’s medicine’
I decided to make this dish as this year I will miss out in seeing my family in London and Mr B’s family in Italy. This dish is a fusion between the two, creating a bean’s on toast dish, that is based on a rustic soup from Tuscany.
I love how food can be used for so many soulful activities. It can transport you to another country, to a memory from another time. It can connect you to a person, a lineage, a thousand years of history. It can heal your soul; it can heal your body.
This dish certainly helped sooth my desire to travel, bringing the UK and Italy right to my living room. What dish soothes your soul?
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp fennel
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 fresh tomato, chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- ½-1 tsp. chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 can organic tomato puree
- 1 can white beans, watched well
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
Method
- Warm oil in a deep pan on a medium low heat
- Add the fennel and stir. Once the fennel starts to sizzle add the shallots and garlic. Cook on a gentle heat for 5 minutes and add ¼ cup of water if it is cooking too quickly
- Add the fresh tomato, let cook for 5 minutes
- Add the can of tomato puree, mix together
- Add the salt, pepper, chilli flakes and paprika. Mix together.
- Cook for 10 minutes and adjust for seasoning
- Add ½ the fresh basil, the white beans. Mix and cook for 5 minutes
- Add 1 cup water, stir and let cook for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors
- Add spinach, stir and cook for 5 minutes
- Add fresh thyme and basil before serving for aromatherapy
- Serve as a soup, with pasta or on toasted bread
