ESSENTIAL: Early Spring Minestrone

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Early Spring Minestrone

 

Recipe By : The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook by Diana Shaw, page 196

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Grains And Cereals Soups And Stews

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion -- chopped

1 large leek

white part plus 2 inches of greens

washed and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves -- minced

1 fennel bulb -- without leafy frond

OR 4 celery stalks

trimmed and thinly sliced

4 large carrots -- peeled and chopped

2 medium turnips -- peeled and chopped

2 medium potatoes -- peeled and chopped

4 medium artichokes -- pared

trimmed and quartered

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon crumbled dried oregano

1 tablespoon crumbled dried basil

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 cup chopped peeled fresh tomatoes

OR canned chopped tomatoes

2 cups cooked cannellini beans -- drained and rinsed

8 cups vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese -- for garnish

(optional)

 

Serves 4

 

TOTAL TIME: about 2 hours, 15 minutes, not including time to cook the beans

or to make the broth.

TIME TO PREPARE: 1 hour, 15 minutes, including time To saute.

COOKING TIME: 1 hour

REFRIGERATION/FREEZING: refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze up to 6 months

 

Minestre, minestrini, minestrone. So goes the declension of soups in

Italian, from spare broth (minestre), to very basic vegetable (minestrini),

to a virtual stew pot of produce, legumes, and pasta (minestrone).

 

Here's one for that time of year when seasonal vegetables overlap - as

artichokes head out, and new potatoes come in. It's one of the better ways

I know to make the best of the old and the most of the new (and an

excellent supper, besides).

 

Heat the oil in a stockpot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. When

it's hot, add the onion, leek, garlic, fennel or celery, and

carrots. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté, stirring often, until the

vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

 

Stir in the turnips, potatoes, artichokes, parsley, oregano, basil, bay

leaves, barley, tomatoes, and beans. Stir well. Add the vegetable broth

and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to

medium-low, and simmer until the barley is cooked and the artichokes and

potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 1 hour. Season

with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with grated cheese, if you'd like.

 

PER SERVING: calories 449, protein 17.9g, carbohydrate 87.9g, fat, 4.8g,

cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 179 mg, 9% calories from fat. Outstanding source

of vitamins A, C, folacin, iron . Very good source of vitamins B1, B3,

B6. Calcium. Good source of vitamin B2, zinc.

 

 

 

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