Rinse the beans and put them in a large bowl with water to cover by 2 inches and a pinch of baking soda. Let them soak overnight. Drain and rinse, then put them in a pan with water to cover by 2 inches. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the beans are almost tender but still a bit al dente. Drain and set aside.

Remove and discard the tough stem ends from the kale and cut the leaves crosswise into thin strips (chiffonade). Peel the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized cubes. Coarsely chop the carrots, onion, and garlic.

Combine all the vegetables and the drained beans in a large heavy-bottomed pot and add 2 ½ quarts / 2 ½ liters water. Pour in the olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim any foam that forms on the surface. Lower the heat to medium or medium-low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring all the while to prevent lumps from forming. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often to prevent the polenta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, for 35 to 45 minutes, until the polenta is cooked. At this point, the polenta should be thickened but still pourable. Much of the vegetable and bean mixture will have turned creamy and become one with the polenta, though some pieces and texture will remain.

Ladle the polenta into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving generously with the grated cheese. Finish with a drizzle of really good olive oil, preferably new harvest.