Creativity with simple ingredients is one of the themes of Sicilian cooking. There’s no better example than this bean and vegetable soup, which some say evolved from food that fifteenth-century galley cooks made for mariners. From Bon Appetite, 1997.
Place fava beans in medium saucepan.
Place Great Northern beans in large bowl.
Add enough cold water to each to cover by 3 inches and let soak overnight.
Bring fava beans to boil in their soaking liquid.
Boil 5 minutes.
Drain fava beans and cool slightly.
Using small sharp knife, make small slit in skin of each bean.
Peel off outer skins and discard.
Drain Great Northern beans.
Bring 6 cups water to boil in large pot.
Add all beans, onion, carrot and celery.
Partially cover; simmer over medium heat until beans are half cooked, about 30 minutes.
Add cabbage and lettuce.
Partially cover; cook until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls.
Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Drizzle with oil.
