Recipe // Kale & White Bean Vegetable Soup

On a cold winter’s night we can’t think of a better comfort food that a hot bowl of this flavour-packed, minestrone-styled soup. The fresh seasonal veggies make it a healthy and filling. The secret weapon in this recipe is definitely the herbs! They really bring depth and help create a very simple and quick hearty winter meal. Serves 4

Ingrediants

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic

2 stalk celery, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1-2 cups diced seasonal vegetables chopped (potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, beans, peas,
cauliflower)

5 sprigs of thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 x tin diced tomatoes

3 cups vegetable stock

1-11/2 cups water

2 bay leaves

3 stalks curly kale, stalk removed and roughly chopped

1 x tin cannelloni beans, drained

sea salt and pepper to taste

freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute the onion and garlic for a 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the carrot, celery and thyme. Continue to cook, stirring for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and oregano and season. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the
   vegetables soften.
4. Add the remaining chopped vegetables and herbs. Stir through and pour in the stock, water, diced tomatoes. Season well and stir through. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover with a lid and continue simmering for 10-15 mins.
5. Reserve 1/4 cup of drained beans and a handful of the kale leaves. Add the remaining to the
   soup and continue to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
6. Heat the last tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Separately fry off the kale leaves and the beans until crispy.
7. Serve the soup and top with crispy kale, beans and grated parmesan.

ABOVE Amelia wears the Palermo Top in Khaki.