Butternut Squash, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup

As promised, here's another great way to prepare a winter squash. This soup recipe is so simple, yet flavorful, hearty, and satisfying, it's the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day in New York City! And it is definitely still winter time over here. I seriously can't believe spring officially starts in 9 days. Just last week (on Wednesday, February 10th), all NYC public schools and Catholic elementary and middle schools were closed due to the snow. By the way, maybe only New Yorkers will know what I'm talking about, but you know those patches of snow that look deceivingly stable, yet when you step on them, your feet are instantly plunged into this freezing, nasty, dirty, black water that the snow was just floating on top of? Yeaaa, I stepped on a couple of those. $%$%@#$$#@$! Oh well, nothing a hot shower and a bowl of chicken soup can't cure...

Butternut Squash, White Bean, and Kale Chicken Soup Ingredients: • 1 cup dried cannellini beans or 2 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans (possible substitutions: navy beans or Great Northern Beans) • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • 2½ pounds chicken breast or thighs (bone-in chicken has more flavor, just remove the bones later, but boneless chicken is obviously more convenient to use; or alternatively, you could use some other type of meat - spicy Italian sausage would work well) • 2 yellow onions, diced • 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press • 5 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade chicken stock • 6 ounces white wine (optional) • 2 inch piece kombu seaweed (I used canned cannellini beans that already contained kombu seaweed) • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • 4 sage leaves • 2 sprigs thyme or rosemary • 2 bay leaves • 1 large butternut squash, about 4½ pounds, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes (Helpful tip: butternut squash can be peeled using a normal swivel-headed vegetable peeler) • ½ cup garlicky kale, or ¾ pound lacinato kale before cooked • slices of country-style bread with garlic and olive oil spread (optional) Instructions: 1. If you are using dry cannellini beans, soak the 2 cups of cannellini beans overnight in water, or alternatively, quick-soak the cannellini beans using the following method: First pick through the beans to remove small stones and other foreign materials. Place them in a large stock pot and add water (6 - 8 cups of water per pound of beans.) Boil vigorously for 3 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it sit for at least an hour, which will usually be enough time to soften the beans sufficiently. Soaking the beans allows shorter cooking times, which preserves the most nutrients, and also allows for the beans to cook more evenly and completely. 2. After the beans are soaked, drain them and put them in a large stock pot along with the chicken stock. (Never cook with the same water that you soaked the beans in because this soaking liquid is dirty.) Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender. Start checking after 45 minutes. Taste, and if necessary, adjust the seasonings. 3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add chicken and brown about 15 to 20 minutes. 4. Remove the chicken to the stock pot and add the onion, sage leaves, rosemary/thyme sprigs, and bay leaves to the sauté pan. Sauté on medium heat about 10 minutes. Add butternut squash and garlic, and sauté for another 5 minutes. 5. Remove the vegetables and herbs to the stock pot, and add wine, kombu seaweed, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil; simmer about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the squash gets very soft. 6. (optional) Stir in garlicky kale. Serve hot soup over thickly sliced country-style bread that has been brushed with minced garlic and extra virgin olive oil and toasted in the oven until crisp and golden brown.