I had minestrone soup twice this week – with a different flavor profile and a different mix of vegetables each time.
Minestrone is an Italian soup without a set recipe – it is basically a vegetable-based soup that can use any mix of vegetables. It often has beans, pasta or rice, and sometimes has meat. Early in the week, I made a minestrone soup that used cabbage, Swiss chard and spinach. This soup had some pancetta for flavor, but the rest of the ingredients were all healthy. All the greens added a lot of nutrition to the low-calorie dish. The sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano added a nice, salty finish to the soup.
Later in the week when a friend said he wanted soup, I looked online for a leek soup. Most leek soups use lots of potatoes and cream, and I was hoping for something a little lighter. By filtering for a low-fat recipe, I found another minestrone soup that used a lot of different ingredients. Instead of the greens, this soup uses leeks and two types of beans. The recipe is topped with a pesto sauce that adds a nice finish to it. To save a little bit of time, I used canned beans and store-bought pesto. The soup cooked in less than an hour and provided a warm meal on a rainy day. I served it with toasted sourdough bread and there was plenty of soup left over for lunch the next day.
Minestrone with Parmigiano-Reggiano
Recipe courtesy of Food Network
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large carrots, diced
1/4 lb. thinly sliced pancetta, cut into thin strips
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely sliced, blanched and drained
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, finely sliced
1 large waxy potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 c. low-sodium chicken stock
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bouquet garni (1 sprig rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1 bunch parsley, tied together with kitchen twine)
3 c. cannellini beans (canned or cooked dried beans)
1 c. spinach, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for topping
Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, carrots and pancetta and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water, the cabbage, chard, potato, chicken stock, tomatoes and bouquet garni. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes.
Place half of the beans (1 1/2 cups) in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the bean puree and the whole beans to the soup and simmer 10 minutes. Add the spinach and cook 2 more minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cheese.
Per serving: Calories 275; Fat 13 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 21 mg; Sodium 263 mg; Carbohydrate 28 g; Fiber 7 g; Protein 12 g
Minestrone with pesto
Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali
Pesto:
3 tbsp. pine nuts
2 c. fresh basil leaves, preferably “picolo fino”
1 clove garlic
1 pinch sea salt
5 oz. Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil
Minestrone:
1 1/2 c. borlotti (or pinto) beans
1 1/2 c. cannelloni (or white) beans
1 medium red onion, cut into medium dice
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch moons, 1/2-inch thick
4 plum canned plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch moons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 oz. small shells pasta
1/2 c. pesto
To make the pesto: In a large stone mortar, place the pine nuts, basil, garlic, and salt, and grind with a pestle until paste. Drizzle in the olive oil, beating with a wooden spoon. This can also be done in a food processor. Store in jars, topped with extra-virgin olive oil, for up to 1 week.
To make the minestrone:
Soak the borlotti and Cannelloni beans separately overnight and drain.
In a large soup pot, place both kinds of beans, the onion, zucchini, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, leeks, and olive oil, and cover by 1-inch with cool water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender about 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Add the pasta, and turn the heat to high. Cook the pasta at a boil until al dente. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top each bowl of minestrone with a dollop of pesto floating on top.
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