Kale, Cannellini Beans & Potato Soup

I was not planning on posting this recipe, if not for the folks at Whole Foods asking me to share it with them out of curiosity, when they saw what my son said: “it tastes like Whole Foods minestrone.”

It was a Sunday night and I felt like going out but dragging my guys out to eat, good luck to me with that. They are home buddies when it comes to food, and first thing they asked, with a whimsical curiosity, is "What's on your mind? Is it fancy?" 

This soup is a quick nutrient packed dish and I served it along with popovers. I haven't made popovers in a long while. In all honesty, I wanted to make a quick 'bread' and I love the the idea of a popovers. The technique and look as they puff up is mesmerizing, but am not really crazed for the popovers 'eggy' taste. You see the soup pictured with pitas as that is what we had with it as leftovers and hummus on the side. I kept this soup vegetarian using a vegetable stock.

If you happened to miss my article 'The Malida Ceremony' published in the Hong Kong based Asian Jewish Life Magazine, you can click here for the PDF file. I cannot wait to receive the hard copy in the mail. I also am excited the magazine is available on some El Al flights.

Kale, Cannellini Beans and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2-4  tablespoons olive or canola oil

1 large onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated (can be done in a food processor)

2 celery ribs, diced

2 medium tomatoes, grated (can process to tomato sauce consistency in food processor)

1 8oz can of tomato sauce

4-6 cups or more vegetable stock, chicken stock or water (liquid added depends on the consistency desired)

Leaves off 4 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves

1 bunch kale, cut ribs and stems out and coarsely chop

2 15oz cans of Cannellini, Navy or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup finely chopped parsley

Sauté onions and garlic in oil over low/medium heat and stir occasionally until onions are translucent. Add the celery, potato, and carrots and continue sautéing for a few minutes longer until they are semi soft (al dente). Add the kale and sauté for couple minutes further. Add fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce and cook for a couple minutes. Add the beans, vegetable/chicken stock or water, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to low/medium and cook partially covered for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are fork tender.  Stir occasionally and check for consistency desired.