Minestrone serve with crackers
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Cooking time: 60 minutes for menu |
Minestrone Time: 60 minutes
You can make this in an hour at a hard simmer (which I do) or you can put it all together and let it simmer gently for several....it all depends on your day. It doubles, triples, whatever easily....it's soup!
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
2 cups cabbage we'll use the rest later in the week
1 can whole tomatoes
1 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can red kidney beans
1 15 oz can white kidney beans
1 slice ham, 10 - 12 oz, (300 gr) regular old pink wet-cured ham, also known as 'city' ham
1 quart (litre) chicken stock
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
spaghetti, 2 - 3 oz,
a 'bunch' about 3/4" (2 cm) in diameter - or less
In soup pot or Dutch oven (4 or 5 qt capacity) heat stock over medium-high heat. Mince garlic and add to stock. Chop carrots, celery and onions; add to stock. Drain tomatoes, reserving juices and roughly chop; add to stock along with sauce. To cut cabbage make a slice next to the core. You will probably use just that slice to get the 2 cups. Wrap and refrigerate the rest. Chop cabbage and add to stock. Cover and let stock return to hard simmer. Cut ham into bite-size pieces and add to pot. Drain and rinse beans; add to pot. Add herbs to pot. Cover and let it simmer a bit. Break spaghetti into 3" (7.5cm) lengths and add to pot. Cover and let finish, stirring from time to time. Serve. Refrigerate the rest for later in the week.
Note: If you can get an actual ham bone (which I cannot) you can use that and plain water instead of the chicken stock. Let it cook for 30 minutes before you start adding vegetables and remove before serving.
Note 2: In the U.S. one can buy jars of 'Ham Base' which would be good - the appropriate amount dissolved in 1 qt water. The Ham Base could be substituted for chicken stock in soups, etc. in the future. I don't want to recommend buying it for just this soup, thus the chicken stock or bone.
Fresh Fruit
Your choice: tangerines, apples, grapefruit
Do Ahead: prep for the Egg fu Yung as long as you're in the kitchen making soup....
1/2 cup brown rice - cooked, yielding 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 cup water or whatever your package directions call for
Cook rice according to package directions. When done fluff with a fork, then refrigerate until tomorrow.
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Cooking Schedule: 60 minutes |
Cook brown rice for tomorrow night |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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