Rustic Tuscan White Bean & Kale Stew

Wash and finely chop 100 g yellow onion, 50 g celery stalks, and 50 g carrots. Peel and mince 15 g garlic cloves. Wash, de-stem, and chop 150 g fresh Lacinato kale. Finely chop 5 g fresh rosemary.

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Pour in 15 ml of the extra virgin olive oil, reserving the remaining 15 ml for later.

Add the chopped 100 g onion, 50 g celery, and 50 g carrots to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Stir in the 15 g minced garlic and 5 g chopped rosemary. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant, ensuring the garlic does not burn.

Add 350 g canned crushed tomatoes, 600 g canned cannellini beans (with their liquid), and 250 ml vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Stir in the 150 g chopped kale and the remaining 15 ml of extra virgin olive oil. Simmer for an additional 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the starches from the beans to emulsify with the olive oil and thicken the broth.

Remove the pot from the heat. Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. The total yield of this completed stew base is 1.6 kg.

Portion out and serve 800 g of the stew hot for today's lunch (two servings of 400 g each). Let the remaining 800 g of the stew base cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to be used for Day 3 lunch.