White Bean, Sausage and Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried white beans
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 carrots, cut into large dice
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2½ tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• ¾ tsp herbes de Provence
• 2 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 loaf crusty bread
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Directions

1. In a deep 5¼-qt Dutch oven, cover the beans with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and soak 1 hour. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Rinse and wipe out the pot.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it into bite-size pieces, then remove to a plate. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Pour in the wine and deglaze, scraping up the browned fond. Let the wine reduce by half. Stir in the stock, bay leaf, nutmeg, herbes de Provence, reserved soaking liquid, beans, and sausage. Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce to low and cook until the beans are tender but not mushy, about 45 minutes, skimming foam as it rises.
4. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring back to a simmer, add the kale, and cover immediately to trap the steam. Cook 10–12 minutes until wilted. Stir in the vinegar and adjust the salt.
5. Toast thick slices of bread to deep golden brown and rub one side with a cut garlic clove. Set a slice in each wide bowl, ladle the soup over it, and garnish with Parmesan, parsley, and olive oil.