Minestrone With Chicken And Sausage Food

HUNTER'S MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Combine the stock and halved garlic head in a big saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes to give the stock a nice, garlicky taste; strain out the garlic. Keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.
• Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sage, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor. Add to the saucepan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
• To the pan with the sausage stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cannelloni beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain and stir into the simmering soup. Add the parsley, and salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
• To serve, preheat the broiler. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float a couple of the baguette slices on top.

UPSTATE MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown sausage in oil. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and basil; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cabbage, zucchini, broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. , Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add beans; cook 20 minutes longer. Garnish with parsley. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth or water if necessary.

MINESTRONE WITH CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Defat the sausage- Place the sausages in a sauce pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and let boil for 5 minutes. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, chop into small dice.
• Add the oil to a large pot, and heat over a medium flame until the oil is warm and fragrant. Add the onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1-2 minutes.
• Add the chicken and sausage, and continue to cook, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.
• Add the carrots, celery, stock, beans, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and remaining salt. Cover, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the pasta, simmer another 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
• To serve, ladle into warm soup bowls, and top with a tablespoon of pesto (if using).