Italian White Bean and Kale Soup

This fall and winter I have been trying different soups.  Some were hits, the butternut squash soup.  Some were misses, Addison did not like the french onion soup.  I am having so much fun doing different things with vegetables.  And it always interesting to see what soup I will decide to make each week.  Last night I made an Italian White Bean and Kale Soup.  I got the recipe from the January issue of Martha Stewart Living.  In hers it is an Italian White Bean and Mustard Greens, I decided to replace the Mustard Greens with Kale, decided to add some vegetable stock to the recipe, and added extra carrots.  But everything else I did the same.  You can find her recipe here.

I tired to take step by step pictures.  But with soup it is all about chopping everything up and then putting it in the pot.

Here's what I have:

Letting the beans soak

Chopping the vegetables

Add everything together.  Ready to go in the oven.

The farro that took Addison and me forever to find at Whole Foods.

First add the farro

Then add the rest and EAT

Addison said he liked this soup more than the butternut squash soup.  This means it is #1 right now in the Cochran household.  This soup is much easier to make than the butternut squash soup so I am not complaining.   It turned out really good and was really filling.  It is nice to have a Meatless Monday and still have a happy family with full bellies.  We have enough for leftovers so tonight I will roast a whole chicken and we can have it with our soup.

Here's the recipe:

Italian White Bean and Kale Soup

adapted from Martha Stewart Living January 2013

Ingredients

• 
  1 pound dried lima beans
  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  1 onion, finely chopped
  4 medium carrots, chopped
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  1 1/2 pounds kale, washed well and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
  5 thyme sprigs
  5 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  2 bay leaves
  1 Parmesan cheese rind (about 1 by 4 inches; optional), plus freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
  1 quart water
  1 quart vegetable stock
  Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  1 cup farro
  
  Directions

1. Place beans in a large bowl, cover with 2 inches cold water; let soak overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse beans. (Or quick-soak them: Boil beans 1 minute, then let them sit off heat, covered, 1 hour.)
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and kale to pot, and cook, stirring frequently, until kale wilts, about 2 minutes.
3. Put thyme, parsley, and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Add to pot along with beans, Parmesan rind, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise 1 hour.
4. Remove from oven, and stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover, return to oven, and braise until beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add farro, and cook until grains are tender and begin to split, about 25 minutes. Drain.
6. Divide farro among 6 bowls, and ladle soup over farro. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and drizzle with oil. Soup and farro can be refrigerated in separate containers 2 days; let cool completely before refrigerating. Gently reheat together in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

I hope you make it and enjoy it.  Now I just need to stay focus and complete some projects.  

Talk to you soon,