I’m so happy to announce the winner of the “I ❤ San Marzano DOP Tomatoes” recipe contest!

Joan Velush’s Tomato, White Bean Soup with Rosemary recipe really “crushed” the competition (yes, the recipe uses crushed tomatoes)!

Congratulations to Joan and her favorite essential worker, Kelly Kozek! Here’s what Joan had to say about Kelly:

During this difficult time of COVID, one frontline worker whose courage and kindness has meant a lot to me is Kelly Kozek. Kelly works full time at a small grocery store in the town where I live, and I’ve gotten to know her over the years. 

Kelly is a single mom to a teenaged son and has helped her mom to care for her ailing father. Sadly, this year, Kelly and her mom lost her dad to COVID. Despite this personal setback, Kelly has persevered. She still shows up at her job, braving the risk associated with working with the public on a daily basis. 

She remains a thoughtful, kind, and upbeat person with a smile and a greeting for everyone who shops at the market. I feel lucky that Kelly is such a vital part of the lives of everyone in our town.

Here’s the winning recipe:

Tomato White Bean Soup with Rosemary

By Joan Velush

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped onion
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 4 oz. diced pancetta
• ¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
• 2-15 oz. cans small white beans
• 1-28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Buttered garlic bread for serving, optional

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion, garlic, zucchini, pancetta, and pepper flakes and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, San Marzano tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the basil, parsley, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 20 minutes more.

Remove from the heat and puree, either in a stand blender or with an immersion blender. If the consistency seems too thick, add more chicken broth or water to taste. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve with oven-warmed buttered garlic bread, if using.

Thanks again to Joan for her wonderful recipe, and to Kelly for her continued service as an essential worker.

––Chef Diana

Giving credit where credit is due. Featured Image – thanks to Eric Prouzet for his outstanding photography! You can check out more of his work on Unsplash.com