The Lucca kale and bean soup is a winter first course, a Tuscan traditional recipe, which can vary by area. Today I propose the recipe from my city, Lucca, in particular the recipe as my great-grandmother used to prepare it. The soup of black cabbage is a real tonic for health, indeed black cabbage contains a lot of calcium and has a strong antioxidant power and is also a valid ally against cancer. It is a vegetable that is always present in my kitchen and especially in my garden.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Lucca Kale and Bean Soup
- 10.5 oz dried cannellini beans
- 1.5 lbs black kale
- 1 onion
- 2 potatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce
- to taste salt and pepper
- rustic bread (stale)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 sprig wild fennel
Steps for Lucca Kale and Bean Soup
Let’s see how to prepare the Lucca kale and bean soup.
First, you need to boil the beans in plenty of salted water. When they are cooked perfectly, pass some through a food mill and then put them back in the broth created. Add the black kale leaves and the diced potatoes. Finely chop the onion and sauté it with a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a pan along with the salt and a pinch of pepper. Add a tablespoon of tomato sauce and let it reduce a bit, then pour it into the pot with the vegetables, add the wild fennel and bay leaf, and cook over low heat for about half an hour.
Cut the slices of bread and toast them in the oven for a few minutes. When ready, rub a bit of garlic on each slice, but if you don’t like it, you can skip it. Arrange the slices of bread either directly in the plates or in a soup tureen, pour the hot soup over them and let it rest until the bread softens. When serving, add a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil raw; it will be a delicacy. Oh, I almost forgot, before pouring the soup, remove the bay leaf and the wild fennel sprig.
notes
If you don’t have time to cook the beans, pre-cooked ones are fine too, obviously if you cook them yourself the broth will be more flavorful. You can also add celery and carrot. The soup keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator in a closed container, and you can also freeze it if you have leftovers.
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