Recipe - Winter Minestrone

2 bn Swiss chard
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 Red onions; roughly chopped
1 lg Fennel bulb; roughly chopped
3 Slender carrots; thinly
cut or sliced up
1 tablespoon Minced garlic
1 cn Tomato puree; 14One half oz.
3 cn Low sodium chicken broth ;
(14 One half ounce ea)
(or low sodium vegetable
broth)
1 cn Cannellini beans (15 oz);
rinsed, drained
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
One fourth teaspoon Red pepper flakes
One half teaspoon Red wine vinegar
One fourth teaspoon Salt
Grated pecorino cheese

Strip chard leaves from stems, then stack leaves and slice. Roughly chop
stems. Heat oil in large pot over mediumhigh heat. Add onion, fennel,
carrots, chard stems and garlic. Cook until onions soften, stirring often,
about 12 minutes. Add One half chard leaves, tomato puree, broth, beans,
oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt. Stir well. Bring to boil then
reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Soup should be thick; if it
appears too thick, cautiously add more water to taste. Stir remaining chard
leaves into hot soup a few minutes before serving and cook until just
heated through, about 1 minute. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve
immediately. Pass pecorino cheese separately. Yields 6 to 8 maincourse