Minestrone

Continuing with my soup obsession, minestrone is one of my all time favourites. So tasty, so satisfying and, served with some sourdough, contains all the major food groups. Just be mindful that lima beans can have a particular effect on some people. My family was rather musical in the days following consumption of the soup. I don't think there are too many rules with minestrone, usually some dried pasta is added, but i didn't in this one. Just start with a good stock and a use a variety of seasonal veggies and it will be a success. I like to have a good mix of colours; carrots, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage. Make a big batch because it hits its peak on the 3rd day. It is essential that each serve be sprinkled liberally with parmesan just prior to eating. DROOL!

Ingredients: 

2 onions, copped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

tblsp olive oil'

20g unsalted butter

2 carrots, chopped

3 sticks celery, chopped

1/2 a small or 1/4 of a large cabbage, sliced

1 400g tin tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups lima beans, rinsed and soaked OVER NIGHT

sprig of thyme

salt and pepper

piece of parmesan, optional 

2 litres vegetable stock

cup of pureed spinach or silverbeet

Method:

Gently fry the onion in the butter and oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer, stirring. Add the veggies and coat in the butter and oil and cook for a few minutes until slightly softened. Drain, re-rinse and add the lima beans, then stir in the tomatoes, thyme, parmesan chunk, and cold stock. Stir and add some salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered for a couple of hours, adding some water if need be. 10 or so minutes prior to serving, stir in the spinach. Serve hot with parmesan and crusty bread.

Other possible additions: waxy potatoes, macaroni or tube pasta, green beans and zucchini toward to end of the cooking time... whatever takes your fancy. 

Recipe adapted from Maggie Beer's, 'Maggie's Harvest' and there's probably a bit of Jamie in there as well.