The belgian lion -- white bean soup

Yield: 8 Servings The

Ingredients:

2 or 3 carrots

Instructions:

chopped 2 or 3 celery stalks chopped 1 or 2 leeks chopped 1 red onion chopped 4 or 5 garlic cloves chopped A bunch of fresh spinach or red chard. (This is optional.) Place all the ingredients except spinach or chard in a heavy pan with some good olive oil. Sauté the vegetables without browning. Keep them firm. Strain the beans and add them to the other vegetables. Add the amount of stock you want and bring to a gentle simmer. Add salt and black pepper to taste. If you are using spinach (my preference) or chard coarsely chop the leaves discarding the stems and add to the soup. If you are serving the soup as a main course you may serve it accompanied by a good country bread and grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese. For the wine? A Marsanne Semillo Viognier or even a light red like a Beaujolae or a young Cotes du Rhone.