Kale Minestrone

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 large onions, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14 ounces) tomatoes, seeded and chopped, with juice
1 cup shredded Brussels sprouts
1 can cannellini beans, drained
6 cups vegetable broth
1 Parmesan rind
1 bay leaf
1 bunch kale or about 5 ounces baby kale, coarsely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and parsley.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is fragrant and the vegetables tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute or so, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant.  Add the tomatoes and their liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit.  Add the shredded Brussels sprouts, stir together for a couple of minutes, then add the drained beans, vegetable broth, Parmesan rind, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the beans and vegetables are tender. 

Add the kale, and salt to taste, and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Add pepper, and remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf.

Serve, topping each bowl with a spoonful of grated Parmesan.

Serves 4.


From Mediterranean Harvest by Martha Rose Shulman, with many changes