Minestrone-Good Anytime of the Year

4-6 servings

I love this kind of soup—full of veggies, tasty besides and beautiful to look at.  No meat necessary here because the pasta and the chickpeas make for a perfect protein.  It’s also an inexpensive way to feed a group.  If you wish to add a larger variety of veggies, feel free.  Zucchini, crookneck and leaks always make a nice addition.  Sometimes, when serving in pretty shallow bowls, I’ll even float a tablespoon or so of sherry and then top with the shredded Parmesan or Romano.   A nice light desert for this dinner is some poached pears.  Look for the recipe on the blog.

 

Ingredients:

1. 2 Tblsp. olive oil
2. 1/2- 3/4 C. diced pancetta (optional)
3. 2 carrots-peeled and chopped into ¼ inch slices or diced if you wish
4. 2 stalks celery-chopped into ¼ inch slices or diced if you wish
5. 2 dried bay leaves
6. 3-4 peeled garlic cloves-minced
7. 1 large red onion finely chopped
8. S&P to taste
9. 8 oz. sliced mushrooms or 1 oz. dried wild mushrooms, chopped
10.  One cup cherry tomatoes or 1/2 C. thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes
11.  1/4 C. chopped parsley
12. 1 small bunch purple (or green) organic kale, washed and chopped
13.  1 C. dry DeLucco small shells pasta—cooked
14.  5 C. chicken (or veggie) stock
15.   2 C. chickpeas—if canned, well rinsed
16.   Romano or Parmesan for topping and possibly Sherry

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta and cook about 3 minutes. Then add the carrots, celery, bay leaves, garlic, onion, parsley and S&P. If you want a thicker soup, now’s the time to add a tablespoon or two of flour.
3. Stir until the veggies are glistening and soft—about 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, kale and 5 C. chicken stock; bring to a boil. You can also add at this point a favorite dry seasoning of yours.
5. Turn down heat to medium-heat and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes.
6. Add the cooked pasta and the chickpeas and cook about 10 more minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaves and serve accompanied with crusty French bread and topped with Romano or Parmesan cheese.