Lazy Saturday Soup

Last night I told myself I'd stay in. Not only was I tired but I had been soaking cannellini beans for the past 18 or so hours and they had to be cooked, or they would go to waste. I gathered my ingredients. A red onion. A yellow onion. A quart jar of the Roma tomatoes I put up a couple months ago. Half a bunch of kale from Bradley Farms (so good, so worth the $3 price tag). And on and on (don't worry, full ingredient list below).
I admit, this pot took a good almost 3 hours of simmering to be perfect. But damn, it was perfect! So simple, so easy, no reason to not make this soup.
With an hour of simmering to go, I invited over a couple of good friends. We ate it with a crusty baguette and a bottle of wine. We listened to records- Laura Nyro, David Bowie, Chaka Kahn, Captain Beefheart. We had a wonderful Saturday evening at home, indoors, with excellent food and a warmth that only good hearted friends who love to laugh can provide.
I will definitely aim for more evenings like this one.

Ribollita Soup
2 c dry cannellini beans, soaked in water overnight or up to 24 hrs 
1 T olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped small (you can use whatever kind you like)
half a bunch of kale, chopped
about 2 c chopped green cabbage
1 russet potato, chopped
1 quart/4 c canned tomatoes in their juice, can be whole, diced, whatever
1 T crushed red chili pepper (optional but so good)
1 t ground chipotle pepper (optional)
5" parmesan rind
water

Drain and rinse beans. Set aside. In a big soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions. Sautee. Add all the rest of the ingredients, including beans. Then add water until liquid level in pot is about an inch and a half from the top. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 3 hours, or until beans are soft and you are ready to eat.
Serve with a piece of stale bread or toast in the bottom of the bowl and topped with grated parmesan cheese. Add salt to taste.

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