Minestrone Soup Recipes - Authentic Home Made Soup

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Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes

By Martha

Minestrone is just a version of vegetable soup; with farmers markets' all over Kent why not try some fresh organic Kentish produce. Minestrone soup is an all time classic, usually served as a �primo� or a starter, but can easily be transformed into a main meal. Great for those cold winter nights. If you are vegetarian, Minestrone still tastes great without the bacon and simply use vegetable stock instead of chicken. This particular �minestra� originally comes from the northern region of Lombardy. The traditional ingredients can often vary from town to town, so feel free to experiment with the components to create your own version. The 'stelline' are very small star shaped pieces of pasta, but if you struggle to find them you can always just and small pasta shapes or even rice.

Ingredients: Serves 4-6
1 onion peeled and diced
5 rashers of bacon chopped
2 table spoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 celery stick peeled and diced
100g of dried kidney beans (pre soaked in cold water preferably overnight)
1 sprig of basil (about 5-8 leaves)
2 litres of chicken stock (fresh stock is best, but you can always use a stock cube)
200 grams of stelline pasta
200 grams of diced courgettes
200 grams of shredded cabbage
250 grams of potatoes peeled and diced
salt and black pepper about tea spoon of each
(parmesan cheese)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon onion and garlic, (do not burn the garlic) heat gently for just a couple of minutes.

2. Add the beans, basil, stock and then bring to the boil, cover and simmer for around one and a half hours.

3. Add the carrot and celery and simmer for a further thirty.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, around twenty minutes.

5. Leave to stand for a few minutes, stir and serve; you can add a little grated parmesan cheese to taste.