Winter Minestra Recipes

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.

MINESTRA

Steps:

• In a deep, large, heavy pot over moderate heat, saute garlic and pancetta in extra-virgin olive oil for 3 minutes. Add onions and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer.
• Add the greens and wilt them down to fit them all in the pot. Add beans, broth, and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook over moderate to medium-high heat for 12 minutes, or until greens are no longer bitter. Serve with shaved cheese, bread, and good red wine.

WINTER MINESTRA

Steps:

• Crumble the ground beef into a large stockpot set over medium heat. Cook and stir until meat is no longer pink. Drain off excess grease and add the olive oil. Heat the oil and add the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion is tender. Add cauliflower, jalapenos, shallot and mushrooms. Season with salt and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to release the water from the vegetables.
• Pour in the stewed tomatoes and season with red pepper flakes. Stir aggressively to break up the tomatoes. Pour in the beef broth and mixed vegetables and bring to a simmer. Cook until frozen vegetables are tender. Taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.

WINTER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.
• In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

WINTER MINESTRONE - GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

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.

MINESTRA - BEANS AND GREENS SOUP

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into the saucepan or soup pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
• Add onion to the heated olive oil, and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent. This process takes 2-3 minutes.
• Add chopped garlic, and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
• Add the salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
• Add half of the beans to the onion and garlic mixture. Mash the beans. (See video.)
• Add the chopped escarole to the onion, garlic, and mashed bean mixture, and stir well to incorporate the greens.
• Add the remaining beans and broth to the pot, stir well, and bring the mixture up to a boil. Next, turn the heat to medium, cover the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Your soup is ready to serve, and you can ladle it into soup bowls. If you want, you can also grate cheese on top of the soup.
• This soup will stay fresh, refrigerated for 3-4 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

MINESTRA MARITATA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add dandelion greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer greens to a colander to drain. Add rapini to boiling water and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer rapini to a colander to drain. Add cabbage to boiling water and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain and set greens aside.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, garlic, bay leaf, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until celery and garlic are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in greens and both brodos. Let simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs during the last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired.
• Ladle soup into warmed bowls; drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

MALTESE MINESTRA - OUR WONDERFUL VEGETABLE SOUP!

Steps:

• In a large pot fry the onion for five minutes until soft.
• Add in the garlic and tomato paste and fry for a minute.
• Add all the other vegetables and crushed stock cube and fry for another five minutes.
• Fill the pot with boiled water until the vegetables have been covered.
• Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 1½ hours.
• Add in the lentils and pasta and cook for a further twenty minutes.
• Add in the parsley and serve.
• As an option garnish with hard cheese.