Ingredients:
- 2 white potatoes, about half-inch cubes
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks celery peeled and chopped
- 1 sweet yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- half head of savoy cabbage
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 15-oz can stewed tomatoes, such as Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes
- Vegetable stock, approximately 6 cups
- 2 cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
- 5 half-inch slices of stale Tuscan-style bread, such as ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- salt and pepper to taste
- pinch of cayenne, as desired
To Make:
1. Get crock pot ready vegetable stock and potatoes. Turn on high and cover.
2. Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic in 4 tablespoons olive oil on high heat until slightly caramelized but not overdone, as they will continue to cook in the crock pot (this step adds flavor). Be sure to add salt and pepper as you sauté. Add to crock pot.
3. In same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil along with the chopped savoy cabbage and kale, along with a little salt and pepper. Add a quarter cup water, then cover, until the leaves wilt. Once leaves are wilted but not brown, transfer all leaves and any pan juices into the crock pot.
4. Add tomatoes and one can beans. Puree the other can of beans with a little water, then transfer to crock pot.
5. Add enough vegetable stock to cover generously all contents. Add cayenne if desired.
6. Continue to cook on high setting for 4 hours or more. Add the bread cubes 1 or two hours before serving. You will probably have to add more vegetable stock, as the bread will soak up a lot of the liquid.
7. Goes well when served with a drizzle of olive oil, as is done in Tuscany.
Buon appetito!
