Looking out the window this morning, I was thinking, by golly, this is a soup-making day if ever I’ve seen one. Minestrone Soup won the day!
I felt quite toasty in my flannel shirt, sweat pants and fleeced-lined slippers, sitting in front of the computer writing about food rather than cooking it. As I downed a second cup of coffee, I pondered the possibility of making a hearty, bone-warming pot of soup. But which one?
A snowy, blustery morning from my deck in St. Louis.
Hmmm. . . Let’s see. Lentil soup is always good and healthy. Maybe Pea Soup; that’s easy to throw together.
Chicken Noodle was a possibility, but I didn’t have all the ingredients. Ditto for Butternut Squash. Winter Soup is smooth and creamy, but I wanted something a bit more chunky.
Then I spotted Minestrone Soup in my file. I hadn’t made that for a while. It seemed just right. I checked the recipe and, sure enough, I had all the ingredients.
I was off to the kitchen . . .
Minestrone Soup
I browned up some pancetta (though I often use bacon) and sautéed an onion, leek, and a couple cloves of garlic with the meat. (Chopping is always tedious, so I often hum an old tune from the 50s to keep my mind occupied.)
More chopped vegetables: celery, zucchini, carrots, and potato. More humming.
I sauteed all those vegetables with the onion mixture for about 5 to 6 minutes.
Next, in went the canned items: one of garbanzo beans, a 15-oz. can of whole tomatoes (not the larger size pictured), and a carton and a half of chicken broth. I let it simmer for a half hour while I downloaded my photos.
Ta-dah! In no time at all, I had a hearty bowl of Minestrone Soup.
Though the original recipe doesn’t call for it, I usually add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and a parmesan cheese rind. Yes, the rind really adds flavor to any soup and what’s left is removed before serving. So don’t throw away those rinds; put them in the freezer for soups.
With the addition of a cup of chopped spinach and a half cup of cavatappi noodles (or small macaroni), the dish was ready to simmer 8-10 minutes, or until the noodles were done.
As it turned out, by the time my soup was ready, the snow was nearly gone. Oh, well . . . here’s my recipe for Minestrone Soup. Fortunately, it freezes well, so it can be saved for a colder day.
