When the doomsayers of the Weather Channel predicted a hurricane that would hit the Big Bend of Florida and churn inland as far as my home near Atlanta, I paid attention. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. I’ve learned this lesson countless times, as my home is typically one of the last to get power restored if we happen to lose electricity.
My sticky note went like this:
– Fill up car with gas.
– Go to grocery store.
– Charge all devices.
– Locate flashlights and make sure the batteries work.
– Fill bathtubs with water.
– Make soup.
In my mind, it’s fall-ish weather. In reality, highs reach the 80s each afternoon. So, when NYT Cooking ran a Melissa Clark recipe for Lemony White Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens, I paid attention and shopped accordingly. The recipe headnote promised a flavorful soup packed with ginger, garlic, fresh herbs, greens and beans. At the store, I picked up ground turkey and a bag of kale. I had all the remaining ingredients at home in my well-stocked pantry and burgeoning herb garden.
At home, I made the soup and ate a bowl while I watched the Weather Channel. I fell asleep sometime around midnight. The storm came through Atlanta around 3 am, dumped an enormous amount of rain and turned northeast where it devastated parts of North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina. I slept through the storm and was grateful to see in the morning, that in my little corner of the woods, the trees were upright, but many had lost leaves, and the water flowed where it needed to flow. In the 30 years we’ve lived here, we’ve had a flooded basement, had power and water out for a week, and many, many trees down, but this time, we made it through ok.
My heart goes out to the communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
Try this soup when you need a satisfying bowl of goodness.
Bean Soup with Turkey and Greens Recipe
Inspired by Melissa Clark’s recipe for Lemony White Bean Soup with Turkey and greens on NYT Cooking
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 pound ground turkey (you could use sausage, too)
3 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 quart chicken stock
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained
Greens like kale (I used a 1/2 bag of chopped kale)
1 cup chopped fresh herbs like basil and parsley
Juice from half a lemon
1.Heat a large pot like a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion and carrot. Saute the vegetables until they are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste, cumin and red pepper flakes, stir and cook for about a minute. Add turkey, garlic, ginger and salt and cook until turkey is browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add chicken stock and beans and bring soup to a simmer, about 20 minutes. I like to let the soup simmer at a very low temperature while I’m puttering in the kitchen. About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the chopped kale and herbs to the soup and let them soften. Finish the soup with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
4. Season to taste and enjoy. Store leftover soup in covered containers in the refrigerator for freeze for up to a month.
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