BEAN SOUP WITH KALE, PANCETTA AND PARMESAN

SERVES 4 to 6

As much as I love greens, I had never tried kale before I tried this recipe. Oh my goodness, it is so good. It has that dark green flavor, and is much more sturdy than most dark greens. The combination of the beans, pancetta, Parmesan and seasonings is absolutely delicious. However, the pancetta may be omitted if you are a vegetarian, and it will still be very good. This soup is easy, despite the number of ingredients, healthy, and has become one of my family’s favorites.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces pancetta, chopped

1-1/2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

6 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 can (14.5 ounces) whole tomatoes, crushed with hands, with juices

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 cups water, more if needed

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 to 16 ounces) pink beans, rinsed and drained

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

2 teaspoons dried marjoram leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

One piece Parmesan rind (optional, but excellent - see notes below)

1 pound kale, cleaned, tough stems removed, and coarsely chopped or torn

1/4 cup small dry pasta, such as elbows or ditalini

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the pancetta. Sauté until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and sauté another minute. Add the tomatoes, broth and 3 cups water, stirring to scrape up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then stir in the beans, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and Parmesan rind. Add the kale stirring as needed until it all fits in the pot. (At this point, add more water if needed, but not too much, as the kale will cook down and release some liquid.) Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Bring the soup back to a boil and stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 or 15 minutes. The soup may be served immediately or kept warm over very low heat. Garnish individual bowls with grated cheese.

Notes: Kale stems are usually quite tough. To remove them, just pull the leafy greens off from both sides. Pancetta is an Italian bacon that is cured but not smoked. It has a unique flavor but, if you can’t find it, regular bacon may be used. I always freeze the rinds from the wedges of Parmesan cheese that I use for grating. They give great flavor in a soup like this. If you don’t have any, you can just stir in a little grated cheese when the soup is done. As with many soups, this is just as good leftover. I usually make it, up to the point of adding the pasta, on a Sunday when I have extra time, store it in the refrigerator, then reheat and finish after work for a quick Monday dinner.

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