10-Minute Bean Soup with Cheese Toasts

Ingredients:

• 2 x 425g cans white beans, rinsed
• 0.5 cups dry white wine
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 15 cm each
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2.5 cups lightly salted chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 small shallot, peeled, trimmed and halved
• 1 small clove garlic, peeled, trimmed and halved
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 1 tbsp (15 g) butter
• 4 slices sourdough bread with crust (each about 2cm thick; 220g total)
• 3/4 cup shredded semi-skimmed mozzarella
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Position the rack approximately 10 cm from the oven heating element and preheat the oven to grill mode.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the wine, rosemary, thyme, and 2 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat and simmer.
3. In a blender, puree the beans, shallots, garlic, olive oil, butter, remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a pinch of ground black pepper, and 1/2 cup boiling broth until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet and spread the mozzarella cheese evenly over them. Broil in the oven until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 1-2 minutes; remove from the oven. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the bread slices and top with Parmesan cheese.
5. Remove the sprigs from the simmering broth. Stir the bean puree into the broth and bring to a boil again. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the reserved herb sprigs and ground black pepper. Serve with cheese toasts.