Lemony White Bean Soup

Bringing together simple, good quality ingredients makes for kitchen magic. This delicious Lemony White Bean Soup is a stand-out example of that principle. 

INGREDIENTS

• • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 1 bunch sturdy greens, I used cabbage and  kale, finely sliced and stems chopped
  • 1 can of chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste
  • ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 3  shallots, minced
  • 1 leek finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 veggie broth cubes prepared with boiling water to dissolve
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup chopped fresh, soft herbs, such as parsley, mint, dill, basil, tarragon, thyme, chives, or a combination
  • salt and pepper to taste
  •  Fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons (and grated zest for topping)

PREPARATION

1. Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out. Add leek, shallots, and carrot, and sauté until soft and brown at the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. 
2. While the vegetables cook, rinse the greens and pull the leaves off the stems. Chop stems into small bite-size pieces and cut the leaves into thin strips. Set aside.
3. Once vegetables are ready, stir tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon cumin and 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes into the pot, and sauté until paste darkens, about 1 minute. Remove this mixture from pot and set aside. Wiping pot clean with a paper towel
4. Adding a splash more oil to the pot, sauté stems and leaves from greens until just barely tender.
5. Combine in leek, shallots, carrots and white beans stirring into the greens.
6. Grate in ginger and cover mixture completely with prepared broth adding additional water if needed.   
7. Bring soup to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes. Add lemon, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.
8.  Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, grated lemon zest, and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.