Killer Minestrone

[SousWee]

It's rated # 13 on Chef2Chef's "Top 100 Forum Recipes"
( I'm sooo proud of myself)
It takes awhile, but it's worth the effort.

3 carrots
1 med. yellow onion
1 rib celery
1/2 green pepper
6 cloves garlic
1/4 bunch parsley
1/2 lb salt pork
1 14oz can diced tomato
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup beef stock
1/4 cup dried basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 lb string beans
1 1/4 cup peas
Place 1 carrot, onion, celery, green pepper & garlic in food processor and pulse until finely chopped, put in a large, heavy pot and add parsley, salt pork and 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 4 hrs .

Transfer salt pork to food processor and process until fat liquifies and meat is paste (30 seconds), pass through seive back into pot, skim fat. Add tomato, tomato paste, beef stock, basil, oregano and 1 tsp pepper. Simmer at med. heat, covered for 2 hours.

Add 4 cups water, increase heat and bring to a boil, slice remaining 2 carrots thinly, add with peas and green beans. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered until veggies are tender. Season to taste.
I stir in a pesto of mint, cilantro and roasted sunflower seeds

 

[kadesma]

Souswee,

minestrone is DH's favorite soup..This looks like just the ticket..Thanks for sharing..Like the salt pork idea, haven't thought of that before.
Thanks again
kadesma

 

[Constance]

Here are a couple of minestrones from Leone's Italian Cookbook:

Mother Leone's Minestrone

Ingredients:
1 lb dried cranberry beans
5 quarts water
1 lb fresh green beans, broken into halves
6 oz salt pork, diced
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tbls olive oil
1 lb. onions, peeled and diced
1 lb. can peeeled plum tomatoes or 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, chopped
3 medium sized garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 medium sized carrot, scraped and diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, minced
1 pork hock or hambone
1 oz spaghettini per person
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
Soak the dried cranberry beans in water overnight. Drain and discard water. If using fresh beans, shell 2 lbs. to have 1 lb. shelled. Do not soak the fresh beans. Add beans to the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add all other ingredients except butter and spaghettini. Cook sloowly for 2 hours.
When beans are cooked, measure 1 generous cup of soup for each person into another pot. Bring to a boil and add 1 oz spaghettini, broken into 1-1/2 inch pieces, for each person. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the butter, stir and serve. Serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side, and for wine, a Valpolicella.
Pour the remainder of the soup into severeral containers and cool. When cold, freeze for serving at a later time. When ready to serve the frozen soup, just reheat it slowly, stirring occasonally. Serves 15 or 16.


The Peasant's Minestrone

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried cranberry beans
3-1/2 lbs. fresh spareribs
5 quarts cold water
3 tbl olive oil
1 lb. onions, peeled and diced
2 large garlic cloves, mashed
2 lbs. fresh Savoy cabbage, shredded
6 oz salt pork, chopped
1 cup canned peeled plum tomatoes or 1 lb. rip tomatoes, chopped
1/2 tsp minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 lb. fresh green beans, broken into halves
1 medium sized carrot, scraped and diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 oz spaghettini per person

Directions:
Soak the dried beans as in previous recipe, or use 1 lb. shelled fresh beans. Have spareribs cut into 2: pieces (butcher will do this). Pour the water into a large pot. Add beans and spareribs and cook for 45 minutes. Skim all grease off top and discard. Add the amount of hot water that was discarded with the grease. Check spareribs occasionally to be sure you do not overcook them. Add olive oil and all other ingredients except butter and spaghettini. Cook slowly for 2-1/2 hours, but be sure to remove spareribs as soon as they are cooked, even when a little underdone.
Place ribs in separate pan and keep warm. When soup is cooked, return ribs to soup pot, add butter, and bring soup to a boil. (At this point, if you do not intend to serve all of the soup at onced, take out what you are putting aside.) Add 1 oz spaghettini, broken into 1-1/2 inch pieces, per person. Boil for 8 minutes. Serve a large portion of beans, spareribs and cabbage in individual bowls or large deep dishes. Freeze what is left over. A good wine as accompaniment is aged Chianti. Serves 15 or 16.

 

[Constance]

Here's my own scald on Minestrone...Note that I'm only Italian in my heart...

Minestroni:

Ingredients:
1 chicken; boiled, boned, and cut up
broth from chicken (at least 2 quartw)
1 lbl. 15 bean dried bean mix, soaked
2 lb. western style pork ribs (meaty chunks of pork)
2-3 tbls olive oil
1 lb smoked sausaage, sliced diagonally
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbl salt (or to taste)
1 tsp pepper (to taste)
2-29 oz cans chopped tomatoes, juice included
1 tbl dried basil
1 tsp crushed thyme
4-6 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 lb baby carrots
1 large can Italian (roma) green beans, drained (or frozen)
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 head cabbage, sliced into wedges
1/2 lb. spaghetti, broken
parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

Directions:
Heat large heavy kettle over high heat, add oil, and brown ribs, uncovered, until well-browned. Reduce heat to medium/high, add chicken broth, and stir to loosen bits in bottom of pan. Add beans, smoked sausage, onions, salt, pepper, garlic, and, if needed, water to cover beans. Cook slowly until meat and beans are almost tender. Add diced chicken, tomatoes, basil, theyme, potatoes and carrots and bring to gentle boil. Taste and correct seasoning. Add green beans and cabbage, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add fresh parsley, basil, and pasta, and cook until pasta is just tender.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan and crusty bread.

This makes a huge batch, so I set aside the amount I want to freeze before I put the pasta in.