Lidias Minestrone Food

WINTER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

LIDIA'S MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat oil in an 8 to 10-quart stock pot over medium, sauté pancetta for approximately 3-4 minutes. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add tomatoes, raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Next, pour in chicken stock and water, carrots, celery, potatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for approximately 25 minutes. Add Swiss chard, cabbage and beans, bring heat back to high. Allow to boil then simmer over medium heat an additional 20 minutes. While soup simmers, cook pasta according to package instructions. Add drained pasta, salt and pepper to a stock pot, mix well and serve. Serves 6.

VEGETABLE SOUP (LIDIA BASTIANICH)

Steps:

• Add onion chunks, garlic cloves, basil, parsley, and 1/4 cup olive oil in the food processor bowl; chop to a chunky-textured pesto.
• Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into large soup pot, set over med-high heat; scrape in the pesto; cook, stirring often, as it sizzles and dries, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lift the rehydrated porcini from the soaking liquid (strain/reserve the liquid) and chop into fine bits.
• When the pesto just begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, drop the porcini, the chopped celery, carrots, tomato, and diced potatoes into the pot, and stir well.
• Cook over high heat, stirring until the potatoes become crusty and start to stick to the bottom.
• Pour in the cold water and the porcini soaking liquid; stir in the salt and heat the water to a vigorous bubble.
• Drop in the cheese rind, partially cover the pot, and adjust to maintain a steady bubbling.
• Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour--until the vegetables begin to break down; add the chicory, spinach, and peas.
• Return to a bubbling boil, and cook 30 minutes longer, until the broth is concentrated and flavorful and the total volume has reduced by about a quarter.
• Ladle the simmering soup into warm bowls; sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of freshly grated cheese over each portion, and finish with a swirl of excellent olive oil; pass more grated cheese at the table.

ZUCCHINI AND POTATO MINESTRA (LIDIA BASTIANICH)

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup hot stock over the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl; let stand until mushrooms are softened, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the porcini, straining the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or a sieve lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth.
• Pour the strained soaking liquid into the remaining stock.
• Rinse the soaked mushrooms thoroughly to remove any sand/grit.
• Drain the mushrooms well and chop them fine.
• Heat the olive oil in a deep, heavy 4-5 quart pot over medium heat.
• Add in the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to stick and are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• If necessary, adjust the heat level to prevent the bits of potato that stick from getting too dark.
• Stir in the leeks and carrots; season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until the leeks are softened, about 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in the hot stock and bay leaves; bring to a boil, scraping up the bits of potato that stick to the pot.
• Adjust the level of heat to a simmer and season the soup lightly with salt and pepper.
• Cover the pot and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in the zucchini, cover the pot, and continue cooking until the potatoes and zucchini are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in the rice; cook, stirring well, until the rice is al dente-tender, but still firm, about 14 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaves; stir the parsley into the soup; check seasonings and add salt/pepper if needed.
• Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle each with some of the grated cheese.