(serves 8-10 with leftovers)
olive oil
3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 1/2 yellow onions, diced
5 carrots, diced
5-6 celery stalks, diced
8-10 garlic cloves, minced
3 T tomato paste
1/2 C white wine
1 pound Northern beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 t red pepper flakes
4 whole cloves
5-6 bay leaves
2 pieces of parmesan rind, 2”-3” pieces
8 C chicken stock
1 package dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 4 C hot water
1 package Spanish style chorizo, links cut into smaller pieces
3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
3-4 handfuls of kale
“The Soul of The Soup”:
Place about a 1/4 C of olive into a preheated soup pot. Place rosemary into oil and allow some sizzle. You are perfuming the oil! Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Add a generous spritz of salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until they soften. Add tomato paste and continue to sauté over medium heat. Some sticking to the pot is desirable. Just no burning. Once the color darkens and sticking occurs, add white wine for deglazing. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil.
Lower heat and add beans, red pepper flakes, cloves, bay leaves, parmesan rinds and chicken stock. Through a fine mesh strainer, add mushroom soaking liquid to pot. Chop softened mushrooms and add to pot. Bring this mixture to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Cook until beans soften.
Once beans soften, add chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes and kale. Continue to cook over low heat until tomatoes soften. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve soup with an additional sprinkle of parmesan cheese and chopped fresh rosemary.