Step 1

Use about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to coat the bottom of a large (about 3½ quart), heavy-bottomed pot (A Dutch Oven is perfect). Place the pot over medium-high heat and add the onions. Stirring every few minutes or so, cook the onions until they are very tender and are beginning to become brown, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted garlic and stir to blend.

Step 2

Add the carrots and cook until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the kale and cook until it’s completely wilted, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the artichokes, oregano and thyme, and cook for a couple of minutes, until it’s very aromatic.

Step 4

Deglaze the pot with the tomatoes, sherry and stock. Use a flat-bottomed wooden spatula to scrape any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the pot, back into the mixture.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Step 6

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Then uncover the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook to reduce the liquid by about half. This should take about 20 minutes.

Step 7

Fold in the beans and season generously to taste with salt and pepper. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)

Step 8

Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2½ inch baking dish, or two 9 inch pie dishes.

Step 9

Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top and then drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Step 10

Bake uncovered in the preheated 300°F oven for 1½ hours. Then cover loosely with foil, and bake for another 30 minutes. (If the top isn't as golden as you'd like, you can place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.)

Step 11

Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.