Minestrone Soup

• 3/4 cup dried cannellini beans (5 ounces)
• 1/2 large onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large rib celery, very finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, very finely chopped
• 1 large onion, very finely chopped
• 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch slices, rinsed well
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
• 6 ounces small red potatoes (about 7), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice, crushed
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/4 head savoy cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 rind (3 inches) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Make beans: Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Drain. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in large saucepan. Add beans, onion, and bay leaf. Reduce heat; simmer until beans are just tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving beans and 4 cups liquid. Discard solids from beans, and cover beans.
2. Step 2
3. Make soffritto: Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-low heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Step 3
5. Make soup: Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high; add celery, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and green beans. Cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved bean liquid, the tomatoes and juice, kale, cabbage, stock, cheese rind, and red-pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 1 hour.
6. Step 4
7. Add beans. Cover; cook until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve topped with pesto if desired. Minestrone can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days; thin with water if needed before reheating.

beans, onion, bay leaf, extravirgin olive oil, celery, carrot, onion, only, garlic, celery, carrots, red potatoes, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, kale, savoy cabbage, vegetable stock, rind, bay leaf, redpepper, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/minestrone-soup-52580791 (may not work)