1 purple onion, chopped
5-6 cloves garlic (or more), sliced
3 largish tomatoes, roasted and coarsely chopped
2 cups dried white beans (I used Rancho Gordo marrow beans)
2 bay leaves
4-5 cups water
Fresh herbs (I threw in some basil and thyme leaves)
Wash and soak the beans for about an hour (or more, if you have it) in fresh water in a soup pot; they should be covered in about an inch of water.
Roast the tomatoes on 400F for about a half-hour. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil over low heat until very soft. Add the bay leaves and simmer to let the flavors blend.
Add the vegetables to the beans (making sure they are still covered by at least an inch of water) and bring to a hard boil for about 5 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cover, adding more water if necessary. Salt to taste.
When the beans are cooked through, add the tomatoes and enough water to make a soupy broth. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste (if you like) and fresh or dried herbs.
*Other additions that would be nice here include carrots (cook ’em up with the onions) and (baby)spinach, added at the end.