White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Kale Chips

Spring time snow calls for tasty and bone warming soup. Even if it means freezing your fingers off to gather the ingredients. Alright not my fingers, but my loving husband's.

It was 5:45am and I needed to get this soup rolling before I left for work. "Chriiiiiiiiiiiis?!  Can you help me with something?"  He's getting used to the helpless plea from the kitchen.  Accept he knows that call usually involves a kitchen fire, or going outside for something.

Such simple ingredients for this tasty soup from Ina Garten.  I added the garnish for flavor and crunch.  I cannot get enough kale.  I'm practically brushing my teeth with this stuff. So yum.

As for the soup (kale not pictured) I just about "1 and a halfed" her recipe.  We either have a few friends or a crowd.  Not much in between.

White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Kale Chips

1 1/2 pounds dried cannellinli beans
4 yellow onions
1/3 cup oilive oil
3 large garlic gloves
9-10 branches fresh rosemary
3 quarts chicken stock (12 cups)
2 bay leaves
At least 1/2 tsp of freshly cracked black pepper
Seasoned well with salt.


2 whole bunches of kale, washed with ribs removed and torn
4 tbls olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Sea salt for sprinkling

To prep the beans, I like the over-night soak method.  Put the beans in cold water, covered by at least a few inches of water.  Cover pot and leave overnight.  Drain in morning.

This soup is so simple.

Start with a simple sauté of your chopped onions with the olive oil.  About 10-15 min.

After the onions have become soft, get all, yes ALL, of your other ingredients.  I was recently given these cool little binding things for cooking. They are a specific kind of rubber and can survive up to 500 degrees! Great for trussing, herb binding, etc.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 35-40 minutes.

Mean while, heat oven to 200 degrees. Low and slow, baby. Kale is delicate, and needs some slow lovin'.

Remove the stems on each leaf. Tear the leaves like lettuce into bite size pieces.

Toss with olive oil and pepper. Wait on the sea salt for the crunch factor after. Cook for 30-40 min total, and toss them half way through.

They will be wilting after first tossing, but just wait for it.  Also, give them lots of room.  We want crisp and not steamed kale.

After another 20 they'll crisp right up. Don't be afraid to improvise, a few extra minutes won't hurt them. They should be crispy.

Finish with a dusting of sea salt.

Beautiful.  Seriously melts in your mouth like cotton candy.

Have any kale and rosemary left over?  Use it the next morning in my baked eggs... delish!

After soup is done, remove the bay leaves and rosemary.  Pass through food mill or blender.  Return to pot to reheat.  Taste for seasoning.

Top with kale chips and more pepper. Hurry up and find a spoon.