Kale, Cannellini and Farro Soup

This soup is hearty and just plain good. The farro (or you can use barley*) gives it a nutty taste and I just love the texture of farro. If you’ve never tried farro, please put it on your grocery list and buy some.  

 

Ingredients

2 T. olive oil

2 medium carrots, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (have more on hand; the farro tends to thicken the soup up too much)

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup farro, rinsed or *barley (I tried using pearl barley when I couldn’t find farro and it was delicious. Don’t use instant barley though. Please just don’t. I made the barley according to the directions on the box and added it to the soup at the end.)

1 t. oregano

1 bay leaf

Salt, to taste

1/2 cup parsley, chopped (fresh, as usual)

4 cups chopped kale (frozen works; but if you use fresh, remove the thick ribs)

1 15 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 T. lemon juice

Parmesan, for serving

Instructions

Heal oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute.

Add carrots and celery and saute five more minutes. Add garlic and saute 3o seconds longer.

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, farro, oregano, bay leaf and then season with salt.

Add parsley and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until farro is tender. Taste as you go. It sometimes take s little longer to cook thoroughly. You don’t want it mushy but then again you don’t want it raw! At this point, you’ll see the farro has soaked up a lot of your broth so feel free to add more as you’d like it.

Then add the beans and heat thoroughly. Just a few minutes.

Remove the bay leaf or leave it in there like the Italians do and see who ends up with it. It is said to bring good luck!

Stir in the lemon juice.

Serve warm and top with freshly grated parmesan.

 

Mangiare per vivere e non vivere per mangiare.

(eat to live, don’t live to eat)