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The Ultimate Minestrone
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients and directions for this recipe
1/4 c Olive oil
2 md Carrots; sliced
2 lg Stal celery; chopped
1 md Onion; chopped
1 sm Head savoy or green cabbage;
-coarsely shredded
6 Leaves Swiss chard; coarsely
-shredded
6 Leaves kale; coarsely
-shredded
8 oz Green beans; trimmed, cut
-into 2-inch pieces
8 oz Potatoes; peeled and cubed,
-optional
8 c Chicken broth
2 cn (14 1/2-oz.) tomatoes; cut
-up, or 3 cups chopped fresh
-tomatoes
1/2 ts Pepper
2 cn (15-oz.) cans white kidney
-(cannellini) beans;
-drained, or 1 1/2 cups dry
-Great Northern beans,
-cooked*
1 md Zucchini or yellow squash;
-quartered lengthwise and
-sliced
1/4 c Snipped fresh basil
NOTE:This recipe has evolved from Matt Browns discussions with fellow cooks
and from reading Italian cookbooks. He claims that sauteing the vegetables
before adding the broth is the secret to great soup flavor
In a 6- to 8-quart pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots,
celery and onion. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add cabbage, Swiss chard,
and kale. Cook and stir vegetables about 6 minutes more or till greens are
wilted. Add green beans and potatoes, if desired. Cook and stir for 2
minutes more.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in white kidney or Great Northern
beans and zucchini or squash. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and
simmer soup for 20 minutes more. Stir in snipped basil. Makes 8 main-dish
servings (about 16 cups total).
*To cook dry beans, rinse beans. In a 4- to 5-quart pot combine rinsed
beans and 5 cups cold water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer,
uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour.
(Or, omit simmering; soak dry beans in cold water overnight in a covered
pot.) Drain beans and rinse. In the same pot combine rinsed beans and 5
cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer beans for
1 to 1 1/2 hours or till beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition facts per serving: 213 cal., 9 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 1 mg
chol., 1,159 mg sodium, 27 g carbo., 8 g fiber, and 14 g pro. Daily Values:
63% vit A, 55% vit. C, 10% calcium, and 21% iron.
Nutrition tip: To reduce the sodium in this recipe, use reduced-sodium
chicken broth and/or tomatoes.
SOURCE: BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, OCTOBER 1996
See also:
Previous recipe The Ultimate Meat Loaf
Next recipe The Ultimate Nanaimo Bar