Tuscan Bean Soup with Kale
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
White Italian kidney beans make a delicious, hearty base for a soup. Add a dollop of pesto and some freshly grated Parmesan and I personally guarantee that everyone at the table will melt before your eyes.
Beans
2 cups presoaked cannellini or great northern white beans
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon dried sage, or 1/4 teaspoon fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Soup
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups finely chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced carrots 11/2 cups peeled and diced celery
1 tablespoon diced shallot
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon fresh sage, or a pinch of dried sage
1/8 teaspoon fresh oregano, or a pinch of dried oregano
8 cups Magic Mineral Broth
1 bunch of dino kale or Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped into small bite-size pieces
A dollop of pesto and a sprinkle of organic Parmesan cheese, for serving
Cook the beans, adding a sachet of rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to the cooking liquid.
In an 8-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until golden. Add the carrots, celery, shallot, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes more. Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes more.
Deglaze the pot with 1/4 cup of the broth. Allow the liquid to evaporate. Add 6 cups more broth, and the beans, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add more broth if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Add the greens and a pinch of salt and simmer until the greens have wilted. Think FASS: you may need to add a squeeze of lemon juice or a final pinch of salt. Serve in soup bowls with a dollop of pesto and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
COOK'S NOTE: To save time use canned organic cannellini beans. Remember to give them a rinse and a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt to freshen them up. For a seasonal twist, add diced delicate squash to the carrot, celery and onion mixture.
Photo Credit: Scott Peterson
Reprinted with permission from One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Patients and Their Friends Copyright © 2008 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.