Eye for a Recipe

This sheet-pan recipe from Food and Wine combines succulent chicken thighs with roasted potatoes and broccolini. Marinate the chicken in a yogurt-lemon-spice mixture. When ready to cook, toss potatoes and broccolini in olive oil, salt and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a second baking sheet. Roast the chicken and potatoes for 25 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven, flip and add the broccolini to the baking sheet. Return to the oven and cook for another 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Cook’s note: I did not use the lemon slices.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used President’s Choice organic yogurt and Old-Fashioned Dijon Mustard. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Roast potatoes and broccolini on a separate baking sheet

Yogurt-marinated chicken thighs with potatoes and broccolini

Ingredients:

¾ cup (187.5 ml) plain whole-milk strained (Greek-style) yogurt2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 teaspoon (5 ml) coarse-ground Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika

¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) ground coriander

5 tablespoons (75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 ½ teaspoons (17.5 ml) kosher salt, divided

1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) black pepper, divided

3 pounds (1.36 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 small thighs)

1 pound (454 g) baby gold potatoes, halved

1 (8-ounce/227 g) bunch broccolini, trimmed

2 lemons, halved crosswise

Preparation:

Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, paprika, coriander, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add chicken thighs; toss to coat, rubbing yogurt mixture evenly over chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) with racks in the upper and lower third positions. Toss potatoes and broccolini with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated. Arrange potatoes, cut sides down, in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet; set broccolini in bowl aside. Remove chicken thighs from marinade; place chicken, skin side up, on a second large rimmed baking sheet; discard marinade. Arrange lemon halves, cut sides down, around chicken.

Place baking sheet with chicken on upper rack and baking sheet with potatoes on lower rack of oven; roast for 25 minutes. Remove potatoes from oven, and flip using a thin metal spatula; arrange broccolini on baking sheet with potatoes. Return to oven; continue roasting until potatoes and broccolini are tender and a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F (73.8°C), 12 to 15 minutes.

Skim off fat from chicken pan juices and discard. Drizzle pan juices over chicken and vegetables. Serve hot. Serves 4.

From Food and Wine

This tasty dish from NYT Cooking can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Marinate shrimp briefly in a honey-garlic marinade (reserving some for later) and then cook the shrimp a few minutes on each side. Add the reserved marinade to the cooked shrimp, cook until the sauce thickens slightly, sprinkle with scallions and serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used thawed President’s Choice frozen shrimp, which do not contain additives. Use pure honey and tamari instead of soy sauce.

Honey garlic shrimp

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) extra-large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on or off)

1/3 cup (83 ml) honey

3 tablespoons (45 ml) soy sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced garlic (from 2 large cloves)

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) grated fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) crushed red pepper, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon (1.25) cornstarch

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil

Thinly sliced scallions, for serving

Preparation:

Place the shrimp in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper; whisk until smooth. Pour 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the marinade over the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour in the fridge.

While the shrimp marinate, combine the cornstarch with the remaining marinade and set aside.

Lift the shrimp from the marinade to paper towels and pat dry; discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.

Heat a large (12-inch/30-cm) skillet over medium-high. (A cast-iron skillet will help the shrimp brown more deeply than a nonstick skillet.) Add the oil, swirling to coat the pan, then arrange the shrimp in the skillet in one layer. Cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom, then flip the shrimp and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the pan sauce thickens. (If your shrimp are on the smaller side and already cooked through before it’s time to add the sauce, transfer them to the serving dish and reduce the sauce on its own. Pour the sauce over the cooked shrimp.)

Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving dish, sprinkle with scallions and serve. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This quick and tasty recipe from NYT Cooking substitutes fish for chicken in the traditional Marbella recipe. Thinly slice lemons and place the slices on a baking sheet. Top the slices with the fish fillets. Mix lemon juice (or red wine vinegar), oil, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Drizzle the mixture over the fish and top with olives and capers. Bake the fish until cooked through and serve with the olives and capers. Cook’s note: I omitted the parsley.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried oregano to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents. You could also use a tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano. I used President’s Choice garlic-stuffed olives and Unico capers; both are additive-free.

Place fish on top of lemon slices and top with dressing, olives and capers

Fish Marbella

Ingredients:

2 whole lemons

4 whitefish fillets, such as cod, lake whitefish, haddock or halibut

Canola, olive or other vegetable oil, for cooking

1 small garlic clove, finely crushed

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) dried oregano

½ cup (125 ml) pitted green olives

2 tbsp (30 ml) capers

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C).

Thinly slice the lemons, leaving about a quarter at one end. Spread the slices on a parchment-lined sheet and lie your fish fillets overtop.

Squeeze the juice from the reserved ends into a small bowl (alternatively, to make it more Marbella-ish, use a splash of red-wine vinegar) and add about twice as much canola, olive or other vegetable oil and the garlic and oregano. Drizzle over the fish and scatter with olives and capers, and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 10 minutes for thin fillets such as cod, plus an extra five or so if you have a thicker piece of fish, such as halibut, until it turns opaque and the edge begins to flake with a fork. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

This wrap from Evergreen Kitchen is fresh and delicious. Make the cilantro yogurt sauce and set aside. Prepare your wrap topping and then sear the halloumi on both sides. Toss the halloumi with honey and hot sauce. Spread some sauce on a wrap, add the veggies and halloumi, drizzle with more sauce and wrap tightly to serve.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used President’s Choice organic flour wraps, organic yogurt and halloumi cheese. I also used pure honey, freshly squeezed lime juice and Nature Value sriracha.

Halloumi wraps with hot honey

Ingredients:

Cilantro yogurt sauce

¾ cup (187.5 ml) plain Greek yogurt

¼ avocado (use the rest of the avocado for topping)

½ cup (125 ml) fresh cilantro

1 small clove garlic

½ to 1 jalapeno pepper, cored and chopped

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) fine sea salt

Halloumi with hot honey

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

8.8 oz (250 g) sliced Halloumi cheese (¼-inch/0.5cm thick)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey

1 teaspoon (5 ml) Mexican-style hot sauce or sriracha

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice

Other

4 (10- to 12-inch/25- to 30-cm) flour wraps

Vegetable toppings (sliced avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.)

Preparation:

To a food processor (or blender), add yogurt, avocado, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno pepper and fine sea salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, warm extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Arrange sliced Halloumi cheese in a single layer, then cook until both sides are golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine honey and hot sauce. Reduce heat to low, then drizzle hot honey over the halloumi. Toss to coat, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes until honey is bubbling. Stir in fresh lime juice and toss to coat both sides of halloumi. Then, remove skillet from heat.

Spread some cilantro yogurt sauce on 4 flour wraps. Slice the remaining avocado (left over from making the sauce). Scatter sliced avocado and your desired vegetable toppings (such as lettuce, tomato, cucumber). Top with the seared halloumi. Drizzle with more sauce, then roll each wrap tightly. Serves 4.

From Evergreen Kitchen

If you are planning a special dinner for two, try this steak au poivre from NYT Cooking. Crush peppercorns and dredge the steak in them. Sear the steak on both sides and finish cooking in the oven. Set the steak aside to rest. In the same skillet, cook the shallot, add the cognac, reduce the sauce and then add the stock. When the sauce has thickened, remove from heat, add the butter and cream and season. Slice the steak and serve with the sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Better Than Bouillon chicken paste for the stock and butter that did not contain colour.

Sear the steak on both sides before finishing in the oven

Add shallot, Cognac and stock to skillet

Add butter and cream

Drizzle sauce on steak slices and serve

Ingredients:

1 large (1½-inch/3.8-cm thick) boneless rib-eye (or strip) steak

3 scant tablespoons (45 ml) whole black peppercorns

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola or vegetable oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) minced shallot (ideally as finely minced as possible)

¼ cup (60 ml) Cognac or brandy

¾ cup (180 m) chicken stock

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) heavy cream (optional)

Preparation:

Remove the meat from the fridge and let sit for 20 minutes.

Prepare your peppercorns: Set your peppercorns on a cutting board and, little by little, using the flat side of a large chef’s knife, press a small cluster of peppercorns until they’re crushed. You can also crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a pie dish or similar vessel.

Lightly season both sides of the meat with about ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) salt total. Be conservative, as you’ll be preparing a pan sauce from the meat drippings later, and you can always add salt then. Dredge the meat in the peppercorns, coating both sides.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C), then heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Once the oil is rippling hot — it should sputter if you flick a peppercorn into it — place the meat in the pan and brown on both flat sides, about 4 minutes per side. If you have a sizable fat cap — a thick layer of white, chewy fat — on either of the smaller sides, sear them off until browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. If possible, take the temperature of your meat before adding it to the oven, so you have a sense of how long it’ll need to cook.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium-rare (the temperature should be about 132 degrees F/55 degrees C). Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest.

Add the shallot to the skillet and cook over medium-high until softened, stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Turn off the burner, then pull the hot skillet off the heat. Add the Cognac. If the reaction between the heat and alcohol produces a flame, don’t panic! It will subside in a minute.

Return to the stovetop, stir to deglaze and cook over medium-high 1 to 2 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Add the stock and cook until thickened and saucy, 6 to 8 minutes.

When the sauce is almost done reducing, slice the steak crosswise into ½-inch (1.25-cm) slices.

Once the sauce has reduced until thick enough to coat a spoon, pull it off the heat. Whisk in the butter, then the heavy cream (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the sauce on a serving plate and transfer the steak on top. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

From NYT Cooking

This recipe from NYT Cooking tops a delicious bean-tomato dish with arugula dressed in a lemony vinaigrette and tossed with bread crumbs. Season the panko and toast it for a few minutes. Set aside, wipe out the skillet and cook the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Add tomato paste, beans, cream, sun-dried tomatoes and water and simmer for a few minutes. Add cheese and season. While the beans simmer, toss the arugula with the vinaigrette, panko and cheese. Serve the beans topped with the dressed arugula.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Most brands of panko are additive-free. Check the red pepper flakes and cheese to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used No Name tomato paste and Savor sun-dried tomatoes, which are additive-free. Blue Menu beans are additive-free, or you could soak and cook 1 cup of dried beans.

Creamy, spicy tomato beans with greens

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (90 ml) olive oil

2/3 cup (165 ml) panko bread crumbs

Salt and black pepper

1 medium yellow onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) tomato paste

2 (14-ounce/414-ml) cans cannellini beans or other creamy white beans, rinsed

1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

½ cup (125 ml) chopped jarred sun-dried tomatoes in oil

2/3 cup (165 ml) finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan

4 packed cups (1L) baby arugula

2 teaspoons (10 ml) finely grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons (20 ml) juice (from 1 lemon)

Toasted bread (optional), for serving

Preparation:

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil over medium. Stir in the panko, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently and shaking the pan, until toasted and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer seasoned panko to a paper-towel lined plate, then wipe out the skillet.

Add another 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir until darkened and mixture is combined, about 3 minutes.

Stir in beans, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes and 1/3 cup (82.5 ml) water, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavours meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in half the cheese, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the seasoned panko, lemon zest and juice, plus the remaining 1/3 cup (82.5 ml) cheese and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Pile the greens at the centre of the bean mixture. Serve with toasted bread, if desired. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

If you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry, try this sheet-pan meal from NYT Cooking. Combine mayonnaise and paprika, set some aside and toss the chicken with the rest. Slice mini potatoes, toss with oil and spices and place on sheet pan. Place the chicken on top and roast for 20-25 minutes. Add oil and lemon juice to the reserved mayo. Garnish the cooked chicken and potatoes with parsley and serve with the mayo.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used Hellmann’s mayonnaise and sweetened it with a little sugar and rice vinegar (Marukan brand). Check the paprika to make sure it doesn’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use freshly squeezed lime juice.

Paprika chicken and potatoes

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) mayonnaise (preferably a sweeter one, like Kewpie)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5 ml) smoked paprika

1 ½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 ½ pounds (680 g) baby potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick (0.3-cm-thick) slices

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

1 lime, halved

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) paprika. Scoop out ¼ cup (60 ml) and place into a small bowl. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add to the large mixing bowl, stir to coat and set aside.

Add the sliced potatoes to a large sheet pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil and season with salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika. Toss to coat and spread in an even layer, setting thicker potato slices near the edges where it is hotter. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes in an even layer.

Roast until the chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil and squeeze the juice from one lime half into the small bowl with the reserved paprika mayonnaise; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Garnish the cooked chicken and potatoes with the parsley and serve with the paprika mayonnaise for dipping. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking

These braised lamb shanks from Lucy Waverman are delicious and can be made ahead. Rub shanks with spices, brown and set aside. Sauté the vegetables, more spices, red wine, vinegar, stock, tomato paste and bay leaf and then bring to a boil. Return meat to pan and bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours. At this point, you can puree the sauce while baking the shanks for another 15 minutes. Reheat the sauce and the shanks together. To make ahead, refrigerate for up to a day before reheating.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the spices don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar which has no added sulfites, a wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite level below 10 parts per million, Better Than Bouillon chicken paste for the stock and Simple tomato paste.

Spice braised lamb shanks

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground ginger

1 teaspoon (5 ml) paprika

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) cinnamon

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) cayenne

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

4 lamb shanks

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup (250 ml) chopped onion

½ cup (125 ml) chopped carrot

½ cup (125 ml) chopped celery

2 teaspoons (10 ml) chopped garlic

1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried rosemary

1 teaspoon (5 ml) dried thyme

1 cup (250 ml) red wine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar

2½ cups (625 ml) beef or chicken stock, home-made or low-sodium

1 tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste

1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 F (149 C). Combine cumin, ginger, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Rub shanks with 2 teaspoons (10 ml) spice mixture.

Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in skillet or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown lamb shanks in batches on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve. Wipe out pan and add remaining oil. Reduce heat to medium.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sauté until onion browns slightly, about 5 minutes. Add reserved spice mixture, rosemary and thyme and sauté for 30 seconds. Add red wine and bring to boil. Add balsamic, stock, tomato paste and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return meat to pan.

Bake for 2 to 2½ hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat and reserve. Discard the bay leaf and puree the stock and vegetables in a food processor or blender. Return sauce to pan. Place pan on stove over high heat and reduce until sauce lightly coats a spoon. Meanwhile, place the shanks on a baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 15 minutes. Return to pot.

When ready to use, simmer sauce and lamb together for 15 minutes or until reheated. Serves 4. To make ahead, refrigerate the vegetable-stock mixture and shanks separately for up to a day. Remove fat from vegetable-stock mixture, puree and reheat. Add the shanks to the sauce and simmer until they are reheated.

From Lucy Waverman

On a cold and snowy night, there’s nothing like a steaming bowl of French onion soup to warm you up. This recipe from NYT Cooking takes some time, but the result are worth it. Thinly slice onions (a mandoline slicer or slicing blade of a food processor work well) and caramelize them until wilted, tender and deep brown. Meanwhile, warm the stock. Once the onions are caramelized, add wine, sherry and flour. Add the broth, season and boil for 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into oven-proof bowls, place a slice of crusty bread on each bowl and top with grated cheese. Keeping a careful eye on the oven, broil for a few minutes until the cheese melts and browns. Cook’s note: I used chicken stock instead of beef stock and red wine vinegar instead of sherry.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the butter and cheese do not contain colour or preservatives. I used Better Than Bouillon chicken paste for the stock, Eden Organic red wine vinegar instead of sherry and a red wine from Frogpond Farm that had a sulfite count below 10 parts per million. Ace Bakery bread is usually free of additives and preservatives.

French onion soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter

3 to 4 large red or yellow onions (about 3 pounds/1.36 kg), peeled and thinly sliced

¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) kosher salt, plus more to taste

2 quarts (2 L) beef stock

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry sherry

1 tablespoon (15 ml) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) black pepper, plus more to taste

6 to 12 (½-inch/1.25-cm) slices French bread

1 ½ cups (375 ml) grated Gruyère cheese

Preparation:

Melt butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt, stir and cover, letting onions soften for 5 minutes. Remove lid and let onions caramelize until golden brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust heat if onions are browning too quickly. The caramelization process may take 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm broth in a saucepan over low heat.

Once onions are caramelized, add wine and sherry to the pot and allow mixture to come to boil. Stir in flour and let thicken for a minute or two.

Slowly add warm broth, ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt and the pepper to the onion mixture and boil uncovered for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the broiler and arrange individual ovenproof casseroles on a baking sheet. Ladle soup into casseroles and cover top with bread slices. Sprinkle each casserole generously with Gruyère.

Broil for a minute or two, watching carefully, until cheese melts and browns. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

From NYT Cooking

This hearty soup from Food and Wine is perfect for a winter supper. Soften vegetables, add seasoning, tomatoes and wine and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in stock, bread, kale and Parmesan rind and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in mashed beans, whole beans and seasoning and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Unico tomatoes, Better Than Bouillon chicken stock paste and a wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite level of less than 10 parts per million. Ace Bakery bread is usually free of additives. Unico or Blue Menu beans are additive free; you could also soak and cook ¾ cup (187.5 ml) of dried cannellini beans. Genuine Parmesan is additive-free; look for the name stamped on the rind.

Ribollita

Ingredients:

½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 ½ cups/625 ml)

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup/250 ml)

1 celery stalk, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about ¼ cup/60 ml)

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) crushed red pepper (optional)

1 (15-ounce/425 g) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

1 cup (250 ml) unoaked dry white wine

9 cups (2.25 L) chicken stock or water, divided

3 rustic country bread slices (½ inch/1.25-cm thick), crusts discarded, cut into ½-inch/1.25-cm cubes

1 large bunch kale, stemmed and cut into 1-inch (2.54-cm) pieces

1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

2 (15-ounce/425 g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided

Black pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Stir in onion, carrot, celery, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt. Cook, stirring often and scraping bottom of pot, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring often, until vegetables start to caramelize, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper (if using); cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes and wine; cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot, until mixture is reduced to a jamlike consistency, about 10 minutes.

Stir in 8 cups (2 L) chicken stock, bread, kale, and Parmesan rind (if using) until well combined. Gently boil over medium-high until kale is tender and bread is almost dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash 1 cup (250 ml) beans with remaining 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock in a medium bowl using a fork. Add bean puree, remaining about 2 cups (500 ml) beans, and remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt to Dutch oven; gently boil until beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper and additional salt.

Divide soup evenly among serving bowls; drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Serves 8.

From Food and Wine