SOUP, MINESTRONE
By:
EVOO Cookbook
Make this with traditional elbow macaroni or try it with the parmesan & Prosciutto flavored dumplings. To make it vegetarian substitute vegetable stock or water for the chicken stock and eliminate the prosciutto.
Ingredients:
6-8 cups chicken stock, if canned use unsalted variety
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 2 cups leeks, sliced
- 8 medium garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 cup fennel, sliced
- 2 cup carrots, small slices
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 14 ounce kidney beans cooked (when using canned, rince under cold water)
- 14 ½ ounce diced canned plum tomatoes
1 rind of aged parmesan cheese
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup white button mushrooms, quarted
- 1 cup zucchini, halved and sliced
- 1 cup escarole, chiffonade
OPTIONAL: 4-8 small dumplings (see recipe) or add 4-6 ounces raw pasta (placing raw pasta into stock and cooking there helps to thicken the soup)
Method:
In a large saucepan heat small amount EVOO over medium heat; add the prosciutto until rendered and crisp. Remove and set aside to add later or add to dumplings. To pan add leeks, garlic,fennel and only one cup carrots, and cook 3-5 minute, allowing water from vegetables to pick up prosciutto fond on bottom of pot. Season with ½ the listed amount of
salt and coriander and add chicken stock; cook until the vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent over browning. Add the cooked beans, plum tomatoes with juice, rosemary sprigs and bay leaf. Add cheese rind. Raise the heat until soup is at simmer and add second cup carrots with mushrooms, zucchini, and escarole. (and any vegetable of your choice) Taste liquid and adjust the seasonings with remaining salt and coriander as needed. Bring back to simmer. Drop in dumpling batter by small greased spoonful’s 1 inch apart on top of soup and try to keep them on top. Cover pan with lid wrapped in clean tea towel (to catch condensation so it doesn’t drop down on dumplings). Simmer 10-12 minutes. When dumplings are done a toothpick inserted comes clean. Season soup generously with fresh ground pepper and garnish with a prosciutto crisp. Serve immediately.
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