Balsamic Minestrone Soup Food

MINESTRONE SOUP (MODENA STYLE)

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the following ingredients in the order given, cooking 1 minute before adding the next; onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, garlic and cabbage.
• Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer over high heat.
• Stir in the water, broth, red wine, salt,thyme,cloves and pepper.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, approximately 1 hour. Stir in the beans and cook for 5 minutes just until heated through.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
• Serve hot.

BALSAMIC MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots and cook until tender; about 5 minutes. Add sauce and vegetable broth.
• Stir in zucchini, spinach and kidney beans. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to heat to medium-low. Cook 10 minutes.
• Stir in cheese and pasta. Cook until heated through; about 5 minutes. Serve with additional cheese and a dollop of pesto if desired.

CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, beans and 2 1/2 cups water. Add broth, zucchini, pasta and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and additional parsley, if desired.

MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large bowl let the white beans soak in enough water to cover them by 2 inches overnight or quick-soak them. Drain the white beans, in a saucepan combine them with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, and simmer them, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep them barely covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are tender. Add the salt and simmer the white beans for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and let the white beans stand, uncovered.
• In a heavy kettle cook the pancetta in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is crisp and pale golden, add the onion, and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the carrots, the celery, and the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, the green beans, and the potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and the kale and cook the mixture, stirring, until the cabbage is wilted. Add the tomatoes and the broth and simmer the soup, covered, for 1 hour.
• Drain the white beans, reserving the liquid, in a blender or food processor purée half of them with 1 cup of the reserved liquid, and stir the purée and the remaining white beans into the soup. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for 15 minutes, thin it if desired with some of the remaining reserve liquid, and season it with salt and pepper. The soup may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the soup, thinning it with water as desired. Serve the soup with the Parmesan, the bruschetta, and the sausages.

BEANY MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Place the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots in a large pot with 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the remaining broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, potatoes, refried beans, bay leaf, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to smooth out the refried beans. Add the kidney beans, corn, and whole wheat elbows. Continue to cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the chard and balsamic vinegar and cook an additional 10 minutes until the chard is softened. Remove the bay leaf before serving.