2 small tropea or red onions, peeled and chopped

1 leek, trimmed and chopped

1 fennel, trimmed and chopped

2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped

4 small carrots, peeled and chopped

cavolo nero (roughly 6-8 leaves), roughly chopped

French beans (a small handful, roughly 20 beans)

borlotti beans (roughly 150g – fresh are best but otherwise a good quality pre-cooked works)

cannellini beans (roughly 150g – (I tend to use dried beans but otherwise a good quality pre-cooked works.  Dried beans need to be soaked for 24hrs before cooking)

2 bay leaves

a few juniper berries

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: We used Frantoio Viola Il Sincero.  This central Italian oil has a decisive kick that matches the earthiness of the beans well.  Il Sincero is a monocultivar Moraiolo featuring orange blossom and thistle flower with foraged hedgerow fragrances.  It has fine acidity and a very high polyphenolic content, so it is incredibly good for you.

If you are using dried cannellini and borlotti beans you need to begin with these.  Rinse and drain both separately and put them in large saucepans.  Cover with cold water and bring to the boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until the beans are soft.  Keep the beans well covered with water, topping up as necessary.  Season with salt at the end of the cooking time.

If you have opted for pre-cooked beans then you can move straight to the next step.

Gently heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole.  Add the onion, leek, carrot, celery and fennel and sauté for around 5 minutes until soft.  Add the bay leaves and juniper berries and cover with three litres of cold water and bring up to the boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Now add the cooked borlotti and cannellini as well as the cavolo nero and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.

To serve place a chunk of lightly toasted bread in the bottom of the bowls and pour over the soup.  Generously drizzle with olive oil.