White Bean, Dill, and Vegetable Soup

Steps

1. 1Remove the top (green leafy part) and bottom roots of the leek and slice thin. Also chop up the carrots, celery, and peel and cube the potato. In a large pot over medium/high heat, add the olive oil and those vegetables. Season with the cumin and some salt and pepper. Don't go crazy with the salt at this stage as we will add more later when we can taste the soup. Cook until the leeks are very soft and the potatoes are just beginning to soften, about 6-8 minutes.
2. 2Add the water and bay leaf, cover, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and continue to cook for an hour. You should be able to easily mash a potato piece with the side of a large wooden spoon against the side of the pot by the end of the cooking time here. Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, use a good blender to puree the soup, or you can use an immersion blender.
3. 3Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pureed soup as it's still cooking over low heat. Taste and now season with as much salt and pepper as you think it needs. After about 10 minutes, giving the beans time to warm up, add the chopped dill and finely chopped kale if using.