Wild Mushroom And Cranberry Bean Soup

• 3 ounces dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms
• 3 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 Spanish onion, diced
• 2 leeks, white part only, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 pound dried borlotti or cranberry beans
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe
• 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or more to taste)
• 1 bunch chives, chopped

1. Simmer the dried mushrooms and shallots in two quarts water for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stock pot and cook the garlic, celery, onion and leeks until soft.
3. Strain the mushroom stock into the vegetables.
4. Add the beans, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, Cayenne and freshly ground pepper to taste (about a teaspoon).
5. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the beans are cooked, stirring occasionally (they will take 45 to 90 minutes, depending on their age).
6. Cut and discard the tough stalks from the broccoli rabe and coarsely chop the leaves and flowers.
7. Add them to the beans with the fresh mushrooms and cook 12 minutes.
8. Season to taste with balsamic vinegar and salt.
9. Garnish the soup with chives and serve.

shiitake, shallots, extravirgin olive oil, garlic, stalks celery, onion, leeks, borlotti, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, freshly ground pepper, broccoli rabe, mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, salt, chives

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/770 (may not work)