Prep time:

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time:

Serves: 4

1 Finely Diced Onion

250g Shredded Kale

500g White Cannellini Beans

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

75g Orzo or Soup Pasta

1tsp Fennel Seeds

2 or 3 Garlic Cloves

1 Chopped Fresh Chili

½ Lemon

1.5ltr Vegetable or Chicken Stock

1tbsp Olive Oil

Parmesan Shavings

Kale, especially the handsome Cavolo Nero, is a brilliant vegetable to grow through the winter (when all the caterpillars and whitefly have gone to ground). Rich in folate, phytonutrients and antioxidants, just looking at the stuff will do you good. This soup is light and fresh, but also does what a winter soup should and is comfortingly hearty too.

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the chopped onion, fennel seeds, chili flakes and garlic, then cook gently for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
  2. Add the chopped tomatoes and the juice of half a lemon. After these have been cooking for a few minutes add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes until the kale and pasta are cooked.
  3. Season, sprinkle with grated lemon zest, parmesan shavings and serve (with optional ciabatta bread).

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether
  • styling: Helen Barton

You may also like

Peach & pistachio cake

This is an end of summer take on a Victoria sandwich, using peaches and mascarpone instead of jam and cream. Rose and lemon drizzle keeps the cake moist and rich, while pistachios add colour and a luxurious crunch.

Beetroot & feta salad

Beetroots are very easy to grow, and the great thing about home grown is that they can be picked when the roots are nice and small, which will make them sweeter when cooked (I roast them unpeeled in a low...

Grilled mackerel with roasted vegetables

It is the height of the mackerel season around our shores and this is such a tasty and very healthy fish, really easy to prepare and served on a simple dish of colourful Mediterranean vegetables.