Minestrone: Must Go (clean out the fridge) Buon Appetito!

Minestrone has deep Italian roots. 

Its name is spelled the same in Italian as in English like so many of my favorite Roman foods, for example, gelato! Considered a basic peasant necessity, minestrone was listed in one of the earliest known cookbooks written in 30 AD by Marcus Apicius, De Re Coquinaria (On The Subject of Cooking). His early version included chick peas, fava beans, and farro. Doesn't that sound delicious?!

With holiday cooking nearly behind us, and with many chilly nights ahead, this is a perfect time of year to make soup! Let’s start with perusing the refrigerator to make use of those partial servings and not-so-crisp veggies lurking in the drawers and containers. We all have some leftovers, so let's repurpose them.

For example, I found a bag of unused raw chopped cole slaw! Yeah - cabbage already chopped and prepped! Why not buy a bag on purpose to add interest, color, fiber, and taste? Here is a brief suggestion of putting a nice batch of meatless minestrone to serve four. Of course, any vegetables you have will be a terrific way to reduce waste and add to your daily meal ideas.

Most recipes for minestrone include legumes, carrots, herbs, tomatoes. To that base you can add broth, small pasta or pieces of pasta, root vegetables fresh, nearly fresh, or frozen. Duplicate starch choices are welcome, as you will see in my batch below I used both small pasta and diced potatoes nearly ready to sprout. After all, this is a MUST GO recipe of items to use up!

Start your New Year off with a warm cup of soupa! You will make Marcus proud 👌

COTF Minestrone

(4 servings 45 minutes from pot to bowl)

Leftover chopped vegetables diced in similar sizes

Olive oil

Onion, garlic, celery, carrots, spices (all or some)

Can of tomatoes chopped (or leftover partial jar sauce 16-24 ounces)

4 cups Boiling Water (set kettle while preparing to jump start the cooking) 

1 Tablespoon dried broth base beef, chicken, or vegetable

1 can cooked beans of any type such as green beans, chick peas, kidney beans

1 cup uncooked small pasta like ditalini shown or break spaghetti into small pieces 

Fresh or frozen spinach

Toppings: Fresh herbs, grated cheese

Method

Heat oil, add the onions, garlic spices just briefly. Add the chopped vegetables, tomatoes, and broth. Heat to rolling boil, and reduce heat to simmer uncovered 30 minutes. The last 15 minutes add the cup of pasta and spinach. Total cooking time of 45 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and grated cheese. 

It will be a Happy New Year!

Buon appetito!

Julia Child Inspired 45 Minute Soup

When I woke up to a chilly 16 degrees yesterday here in Chiberia, my second thought was let's make soup! In Julia Child's first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking the very first recipe was Potato Leek soup (page 37). With an abundance of fall potatoes in my possession, I had the 3 main ingredients stocked in the fridge.

Most soup recipes, including Julia's, are written to serve 4-6 people. I think for most people the thought of eating soup for 3-4 days does not sound appealing. I have adapted parts of Julia's recipe, and I reduced the amount to make this soup a one-time meal for 2, or a starter to serve 4 (not the 2 quarts that Julia's recipe makes).

Potato and Leek Soup

Serves 2 as a meal / 4 as a starter

Ingredients:

1/2 leek chopped and rinsed in a bowl
2 large potatoes or 4 smaller peeled and diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups whole milk heated for 2 minutes in microwave
2 cups hot tap water

Salt and pepper before serving per taste and 1 Tablespoon butter if you like

Method:

In a heavy pot lightly heat olive oil with a medium flame. Add chopped cleaned leek and stir for 2 minutes. While this is cooking, heat the milk for 2 minutes in the microwave just to remove the chill. Add the chopped potatoes to the oil and leek in the pot for one minute.  Do not brown the potatoes, just absorb some of the flavor of the leeks. Add the warmed milk to the pot. Add the hot water from the tap. Stir and halfway cover the pot and let the potatoes cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. With an immersion hand-held blender, turn off the heat and blend the contents of the soup. If you miss not using cream in the recipe feel free to lop one Tablespoon of butter to the soup at this point for the added fat content and flavor.

Let the blended contents cook for 25 minutes under low heat. Add salt and pepper before serving, Sprinkle herbs like fresh parsley or chives on top.

Bon appetit!

Julia Child's First Recipe in her First Cookbook Page 37.

YIKES!

Soup's On in only 45 minutes!

Lovely Leek & Potato Soup.