Ligurian Vegetable Soup With Fresh Basil Food

FRESH VEGETABLE BASIL SOUP

Steps:

• Sometimes I add a hot pepper sauce for some bite.
• In a 5-qt pan over med heat, melt butter.
• Add onion, celery and carrot.
• Cook, stir occasionally, until veggies are soft but not brown (10 min).
• Add potato, tomatoes, stock, basil to pan.
• Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and zucchini and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add peas and simmer for about 5 minutes or until all veggies are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with cheese.

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.

VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SWEET BASIL

Steps:

• Cut the leeks, potato, onion, celery, zucchini, green beans, and carrots into 1/4-inch dice.
• In a 6-quart stockpot, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil with the water. Add the vegetables and saute over medium-low heat until all the water evaporates. Do not brown the vegetables.
• Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook at a gentle boil for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, put the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until pureed.
• Stir the puree into the cooked soup. Do not let the soup return to a boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve the soup hot or cold from a tureen or in individual bowls.

LIGURIAN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH FRESH BASIL

Steps:

• Soak cannellini beans in cold water overnight, rinse and drain. Cover beans with water in heavy bottomed pan and add 2 or 3 cloves peeled garlic. Simmer gently until al dente, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and strain, removing garlic. Meanwhile, chop leeks and celery very fine. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in heavy pot over medium heat, add leeks and celery and saute until soft. Add vegetable stock and water, then potatoes, peeled and diced. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and simmer gently until potatoes are cooked through. Turn off heat and cool mixture. While the soup mixture cools, slice carrots, if using, and prepare green beans but leave them whole. When the soup mixture is cool enough to handle, puree in batches until smooth, adding fresh basil leaves to the food processor or blender at the end of each batch. The basil leaves should be integrated into the soup and chopped but with visible shreds remaining. Return pureed soup to a clean pot and add green beans, cannellini beans, carrots, and parsley, if using. Simmer gently to cook beans and carrots throughout. Serve warm with grana padano or parmesan cheese grated on top.

LIGURIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over med-high heat.
• Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery and cook until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes.
• Add the potato and zucchini and stir well to combine.
• Stir in the tomatoes and broth, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Decrease heat to med-low, partially cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• Add the macaroni and cook, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom, until it is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the spinach and basil, stir well to combine, and cook 5 minutes longer.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with cheese.