White Bean & Kale Soup Recipe

Farmers' Markets Flourish Even in New England Winters!

No, you won't find fresh strawberries or bunches of basil at New England farmers' markets this winter, but you will find a good variety of hardy, seasonal ingredients as well as some delicious prepared foods. A couple of Saturdays ago, my husband and I drove over to the Seacoast Eat Local Winter Farmers' Markets that runs every two weeks http://seacoasteatlocal.org/find-local-food/our-winter-farmers-market/  at alternating locations just north and south of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

One treat we always crave and enjoy at this particular market is a Vegetarian Breakfast Burrito made with local potatoes, eggs, and more by Joelle Blakeslee who owns White Heron Tea Company http://www.whiteherontea.com with her husband Jonathan. In addition to their great selection of  Organic, Fair Trade teas from around the world, the couple also offer unique and flavorful prepared foods, made with local ingredients, such as another of my favorites: Curried Carrot Hummus which we brought home, kept refrigerated, and noshed on during the Super Bowl. 

I could go on and on about all the great foods (Northern shrimp, Sunnyfield bread, Brookford Farm quark) available at these winter markets, but I'll never get to tell you about the savory soup I made with the dried organic cannellini beans purchased from Meadow's Mirth Farm, and the uber-nutritious and crunchy organic kale, purchased from Heron Pond Farm, both at this weekly market. Google-up your state's Agriculture department  to find winter farmers' markets in your neck of the woods.

White Bean, Kale, & Tomato Soup
                                                   Serves 6
1 cup dried Cannellini Beans (or 1 can Beans)
1/2 pound, about 3 large links, good Italian Chicken or Pork sausage, hot and/or sweet
2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
1 medium-large Onion, chopped small
4-6 cloves Garlic, minced
1 sprig fresh Rosemary, chopped
3-4 springs fresh Thyme, chopped
1/4-1 tsp crushed Red Pepper flakes
1/3 cup dry White Wine
1 large can Muir Glen diced Tomatoes
1 large bunch Kale, any variety, washed, torn into bite size pieces
2 quarts homemade or good Poultry or Vegetable Stock
Fresh grated Parmesan


1. Soak dried beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil, add beans, cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes until just tender. Drain in colander, rinse, and set aside.
2. In same pot used to boil beans, cook sausages over medium heat in a bit of water, covered until browned and cooked through. Remove sausages, set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in the stock pot, add onions, garlic, herbs, and red pepper flakes, sauteing until onions are tender.
4. Add white wine to the pot and scrape bits of spices and herbs from the bottom and sides.
5. Add tomatoes, stir, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
6. Slice sausages into coins and then in 1/2 coins and add to pot along with kale, beans, and chicken stock. Cover and heat through over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Serve and garnish with parmesan.