White Bean Soup with Ground Turkey and Kale with Lemon

I adapted this recipe from the "Lemony White Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens" by Melissa Clark posted in The New York Times. Delicious and nutritious, an excellent soup to warm you up in the winter! The lemon juice added at the end of cooking is a must - really adds an extra kick and vibrancy to the flavor.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch of kale, stemmed and cut into large pieces

2 tbsp. tomato paste

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 lb. ground turkey

1 tbsp. grated ginger (or 1 tsp. powdered)

3 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 quart (4 cups) unsalted chicken stock

2 cups water

2 (15-oz.) cans white beans

1 cup fresh herbs (basil, parsley, dill, tarragon), chopped

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (I like to use an enameled cast iron pot) for about 30 seconds or until shimmering, then add the diced onion and carrot. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. 

2. Add the tomato paste, cumin, red pepper flakes and saute for about 1 minute or until the mixture has darkened. 

3. Add the ground turkey, garlic, ginger, black pepper, and 1 tsp. of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is mostly cooked, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the chicken stock, water, and beans (including all the liquid in the cans). Bring up to a boil and add another 2 tsp. of kosher salt, or to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking another 25-30 minutes. 

5. Add the sliced kale to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes until softened. 

6. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped herbs and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Serve with lemon wedges on the side of each bowl.