Minestrone Soup

Jen LeBow’s Minestrone Soup Recipe

 

Let me start by saying that minestrone soup is “loose” in terms of ingredients. It always has beans and seasonal vegetables, but after that, there’s plenty of latitude, so feel free to substitute, add or subtract ingredients as you see fit.

Rinse and soak 8 oz. dried cannellini or Great Northern beans in 2 quarts water and 1 ½ t salt overnight. Reduce heat to VIGOROUS simmer and stir (uncovered) every few minutes for 1 hour.Drain. (If you don’t have time, bring 8 oz. beans to boil in 2 quarts of water, allow to boil about 5 minutes and then remove from heat, cover and let stand for an hour. If you REALLY don’t have time and want to use canned beans, you’ll need to just add them later in the cooking process so they don’t get mushy.)

In heavy pot or Dutch oven on stove top, cook on medium-high 5 minutes:

1 1/2 T EVOO

4 oz pancetta, cut into ¼” cubes

 

Add and cook 8 minutes:

2 ribs celery, cut into ½” pieces (about ¾ cup)

2 small or 1 large carrot cut into ½” pieces (about ¾ cup)

1 extra large Vidalia onion cut into ½” pieces (about 1 ½ cups) (I use a food processor)

1 medium zucchini cut into ½” pieces (about 1 cup)

 

Add and cook 2 minutes:

3 minced cloves garlic

½ small head green cabbage (about 2 cups) (I use the food processor for this, too)

 

Empty contents of pot into bowl and set aside.

 

In same pot, bring to boil:

8 oz. (dry) soaked and drained white beans

7 cups water

3 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

Parmesan cheese rind (about 5” x 2”)

(If you don’t have a block of parmesan, you can add it when you serve)

 

Add and cook 15 minutes:

reserved vegetables

2 cups chopped tomatoes, in ½” pieces

 

Remove from heat.

 

Discard bay leaf, parmesan rind

 

Add:

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

1 t dried thyme

1 ½ salt, to taste