Cannellini Bean, Potato and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 stick celery, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ x 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small potato, peeled and cubed
• 150g kale, washed
• 50g stale bread, torn into chunks
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of ground black pepper
• 2 tsp vegetarian pesto

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the fennel seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, then cook over low heat with the lid slightly ajar for 15 minutes, until softened but not browned.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the cannellini beans and potato, together with 100ml water, and bring back to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the kale and the bread, and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes. The soup should be thick but not dry, so add more water if needed.
5. Serve in bowls, seasoned to taste and topped with the pesto.