Parmesan Broth with Kale and White Beans

 Source

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Broth

1 lb cheese rinds, any paper at the ends removed
12 cups water
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 Handfuls of flat-leaf parsley
Salt, to taste

Soup

5 to 6 ounces tuscan kale (also known as black or lacinato kale; this is the thinner, flatter leaf variety), washed and patted dry
2.5 cups cooked white beans
Thin slices of baguette, toasted
Olive oil and parmesan for serving

Method:

Make the broth: Bring all broth ingredients to a boil in a large pot, then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for one hour. Pour broth through a strainer. Your yield should be approximately 9 cups. You can use this right away or cool it before storing it.

Turn the broth into soup: Prepare kale by removing tough stems and center rib (I often use kitchen shears for this), then cutting the leaves into thin ribbons. Add them to the broth, along with the beans. Add bean cooking liquid if you wish; this not only stretches the intense parmesan broth further but adds a gorgeous extra depth to the soup. Simmer ingredients together for 10 minutes, until kale leaves wilt and beans are warmed through.

To serve: Ladle a small amount of beans, kale and broth into a bowl. Top with a slice of toasted baguette. Drizzle baguette and soup lightly with your favorite olive oil and grate some fresh parmesan cheese over. Eat immediately.