Favourite Minestra Veggie Soup With Curly Endive Recipes

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.

VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, rosemary, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the broth, 2 cups water, the cannellini beans, tomatoes, zucchini and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the zucchini is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the collard greens and simmer until the greens are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orzo. Season with salt. Top with the shredded parmesan.
• Photograph Courtesy of Time Inc. Books/Alison Miksch.

MINESTRA

Steps:

• 1. Combine swiss chard and 1/4 cup water in a large dutch oven; tightly packed leaves and cover. Cook over medium heat until volume is reduced by half. Drain in colander, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
• 2. Heat oil over medium high heat and brown sausage - turning frequently - about 4 minutes or until browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in beans and tomatoes with juice, breaking up the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes.
• 3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in swiss chard with reserved cooking liquid (add additional cooking liquid if needed), potatoes, and red pepper. Cover and cook 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Sir cheese into minestra; remove from heat and let stand until cheese is partially melted, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls.

SIMPLE ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, carrots and celery. Raise heat to medium-high, if you need to, and cook, tossing regularly, until the veggies soften a bit (about 5 minutes or so). Add the garlic and cook another minute, tossing regularly.
• Add the zucchini or yellow squash and green beans. Season with paprika, rosemary, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Now add the crushed tomatoes, broth, fresh thyme, bay leaf and Parmesan rind (if using.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
• Uncover the pot and add the kidney beans. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Finally, Stir in the parsley and fresh basil. And, if serving immediately, stir in the cooked pasta and simmer ever so briefly till the pasta is warmed through; do not overcook. (See Cook's Tip #2)
• Remove the cheese rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve the minestrone hot in dinner bowls with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan (optional.)

FAVOURITE MINESTRA-VEGGIE SOUP WITH CURLY ENDIVE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrots and shallot and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for five minutes or so.
• Stir in the garlic, and stir-fry over medium heat for about three minutes.
• Pour in the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil.
• Stir well, cover, lower the leat and simmer for about 20 minutes; stir occasionally. Add more water/stock if necessary.
• Add orzo/pasta, and the greens or endive to the hot soup.
• Simmer, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.
• Add the parmesan cheese, simmer for two or three minutes longer, 'til the pasta is al dente.
• Remove from heat 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.