Food & Wine

Market Fresh Minestrone Soup

Serves 6
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 yellow zucchini, chopped
• 1 green zucchini, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable or beef broth
• 1 cup chopped green beans
• 1 cup chopped yellow beans
• 4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped OR 2 19 oz cans plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1.5 cups cooked al dente pasta (orecchiette, penne, orzo, macaroni or other small pasta)
• 1 bunch fresh basil, pureed in a blender with 1 cup olive oil,
• 4 leaves reserved
• 1 cup parmigiano cheese, grated (if you have the rind keep it)
• Salt, pepper and Tabasco

In the olive oil, sauté the carrots and onions for five minutes over medium heat. Add the remaining vegetables and sauté
another five minutes.Add the vegetable or beef broth, the tomatoes and (if you have it) the parmigiano cheese rind.Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken up and the vegetables are all soft. Add the pasta and 1/2 of the parmigiano cheese and cook another five minutes. Season with the salt pepper and Tabasco, remove the rind and place in a serving bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of the basil oil, top with the remaining cheese and basil leaves that have been chopped and serve. Even better the next day!


Originally published in the Fall 2007 issue of Lifestyle Nova Scotia Magazine.