You might think a bean and kale soup could be a real dud — health food store- or cafeteria-depressing. You couldn’t be more wrong (even if you don’t add the optional bacon or pancetta; but unless you’re a vegetarian or have other dietary restrictions, you’re going to, right?). Nosrat chooses this dish to illustrate the Platonic ideal of a chunky soup, as opposed to the other two categories — brothy and smooth. It’s built on the layering and concentrating of flavors, with extra boosts from umami-rich tomatoes (you cook them down till they get jammy) and Parmesan (you throw the rind in the pot to simmer with the rest).