Minestrone, A Dominating Soup
Minestrone troubles getting you down? Stuck on the yocky-dock way of making it? Well, brace yourself for impact! The storm surge is here. The surge of veggies, beans, and pasta that is. And it’s only beginning. So, as summer arrives full force add a variety of the edible goodies to your melting pot of flavor. Then, gimme some!
Minestrone Shopping List
Bacon: 2 strips cut into pieces
Leek: 1 washed & chopped
Onion: 1 small chopped fine
Tomatoes: 2 cups (dice the night before and add 2T lime juice and 3T fresh cilantro)Squash: 1 cup diced summer
Carrots: ½ cup diced
Parsnips: 1 cup diced
Turnip: 1 cup diced
Celery: ½ cup chopped*Add any fresh vegetables you prefer
*Meatballs: 8 prepared (optional)
Beans: 1 can drained any kind
Pasta: 1 cup any kind (but try a vegetable or bean for a change)
Chicken Broth: 1 large box. Add water as needed.Garlic: 3 cloves minced
Salt & Pepper: to taste
Olive Oil: 1 T
Bay leaf: 1
Preparation
In a large pot/ Dutch oven cook bacon over medium heat until crisp and brown; then remove and cool.
Next add the onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper (to taste); simmer on medium, partly covered 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large skillet heat olive oil and add squash, carrots, parsnips, leek and celery. Then sauté for 3 minutes.Next add vegetables to soup pot and simmer on medium for 15 minutes. Then add bacon, pasta, *meatballs and beans; simmer additional 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Finally, let the soup rest for 3 hours. Last but not least, reheat soup slowly and serve.
Serve in large bowls with garlic bread.
Minestrone Notes
The farmer market…where farmers fantasize and chefs love to shop. There at our disposal too. While offering an array of farm-tastic-snacks. The star of your soup will be your fresh haul of edibles. So, do it. Then chew it. And minestrone on…
Because there are literally thousands of vegetables that you can use. Also, pastas and beans. Especially nice, the idea that vegetables provide a variety of flavor, color, shape, and texture to any meal.
In fact, cooking with vegetables has long been a staple in many countries. Most notably they appear around the tables of the world as the main meal. And now were discovering their value as more than a garnish to meats. To be sure, we’re becoming happy eating more of them at every meal. Including breakfast.