With the nights drawing in and the wind beginning to bite, our recipe of the month is designed to bring some autumnal comfort. Minestrone soup is a wonderful autumn treat which is not done justice by the characterless tinned varieties lining supermarket shelves.
Use the recipe below to create this seasonal warmer using fresh ingredients:
MINESTRONE SOUP
INGREDIENTS
4oz Italian risotto rice
2oz Streaky bacon
3 Carrots
2 Sticks of celery
1 Medium Onion
2 Medium Tomatoes
1 Leeks
1/2 Green cabbage
2 Garlic cloves
3 tbls Olive oil
Fresh Basil
Fresh Parsley
2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Remove any rind from the bacon and chop the bacon into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the onion. Top and tail the celery and carrot then chop up into small pieces. Peel the garlic cloves then chop finely or crush. If using fresh basil, tear into shreds.
2. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan and warm to a medium heat. Add the chopped streaky bacon pieces and turn them frequently for two minutes. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook for a further two minutes.
3. Turn the heat down low then add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, carrots, celery, tomato and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 minutes stirring every five minutes to ensure all the ingredients are cooked evenly. If you have a lid, place it on the frying pan so the vegetables ‘sweat’.
4. Add the risotto rice and stir well for three minutes to ensure all the ingredients are mixed. Add the stock, tomato puree and basil to the pan. Bring the soup to the boil then turn the heat down low and simmer for 30 minutes. The amount of stock can be a little more or less than in the ingredients list depending on how thick you prefer your soup.
5. Have a sneak taste and add salt and pepper to season it the way you want. Add the chopped leeks and chopped cabbage. Stir in well and cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese and bread.