Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 200 g curly kale, thick stalks removed, leaves roughly torn
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 150 g pancetta, diced
• 1 parmesan rind
• 40 g parmesan, finely grated, to serve
• Crusty ciabatta, to serve

Method

1. Heat a large, heavy-based pot over a medium flame with the olive oil. Add the diced pancetta and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are golden and lightly crisp.
2. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet. Stir in the sliced garlic and rosemary sprigs and fry for a further 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes, scraping up any caramelised bits from the base of the pot with a wooden spoon.
4. Tip in the cannellini beans, the red lentils, the bay leaf and the parmesan rind (if using), then pour over the vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have collapsed into the broth and the soup has thickened.
5. Remove the rosemary sprigs, bay leaf and parmesan rind. Scoop out roughly one-quarter of the beans with a ladle, mash them roughly in a bowl, then stir back into the soup to thicken the broth further.
6. Add the torn kale and simmer for a further 5–7 minutes until wilted and tender but still a vibrant green. Taste and season generously with salt and plenty of black pepper.
7. Ladle into warm bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and scatter over the grated parmesan. To batch: cool completely before portioning into freezer containers; keeps well for up to 3 months.