White Bean-Chard Soup with Rosemary Croutons

Ingredients

• Soup:
• 1 pound dried Great Northern beans
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot (about 2 medium)
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 6 cups water
• 4 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 6 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 2 bunches)
• Croutons:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Remaining ingredient:
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. To prepare the soup, sort and wash the beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans; set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Add salt, pepper, and rosemary sprig; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in beans, 6 cups water, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Add chard; cook 15 minutes or until chard is tender. Discard rosemary sprig.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. To prepare croutons, combine 2 tablespoons oil and bread; toss to coat. Add chopped rosemary; toss to combine. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until golden, turning once. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls; divide croutons evenly among bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.