Hearty Bean and Cabbage Soup

Yesterday I made a big pot of soup with some produce that inspired me this week- dried beans from Helsing Junction Farm and Savoy cabbage from Newaukum Valley Farm. Both of these were so beautiful I knew I wanted to make something with them, and preferably together. I looked through a bunch of recipe sites for a soup recipe that would use both, but I didn't see anything I was crazy about, so I decided to just wing it. I used Deborah Madison's  Vegetable Soups cookbook to make sure I got the water to bean ratio and cooking time right. Her cookbooks are pretty fantastic, and getting this one out reminded me that I have lots of great recipes at my disposal without looking online at all. My soup turned out well, but I will say, it's not going to win any beauty contests. Good thing I have the "before" photo!

Hearty Bean and Cabbage Soup
5 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, diced
2 small yellow potatoes, cut into small cubes
3 springs rosemary or other fresh herb of choice (the bean website below recommends sage)
1lb dried beans (I used Calypso beans)
10 cups water
6 cups shredded Savoy cabbage, Italian kale, or a combination of both
2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
lots of fresh ground pepper
1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Soak beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Heat 4 Tbs of olive oil in your biggest soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they soften and start to become fragrant. Add the celery,carrots, and potatoes and cook for a few minutes more. Add beans and water. For the rosemary, put springs in a reusable cloth tea bag or a piece of cheesecloth tied into a bundle and float it in the soup while it cooks. This will give the broth a nice herbal flavor. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat and cook until the beans are almost soft (mine took about 45 minutes, but time will vary a lot depending on type of beans used). Add salt, cabbage, pepper, and vinegar. Give it a good stir and cook until the cabbage/kale is wilted but still fairly firm. Stir in the remaining Tbs of olive oil. Top with a few grinds of pepper and serve.