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Minestrone (Vegetable) Soup

Sloane Taylor By Sloane Taylor
3 Min Read
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A small bowl of hot soup is an excellent starter to any meal. You can also enjoy soup for lunch or dinner by adding a salad and fresh bread. This hearty recipe works great for all your needs. Add a glass of crisp white wine and enjoy!

 

female chef


Minestrone (Vegetable) Soup

  • ½ cup dry white beans, navy or Great Northern
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup zucchini, unpeeled, scrubbed and diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1 cup red potatoes, diced
  • ⅓ cup celery, diced
  • 5 strips bacon, diced
  • ¼ cup onion, chopped
  • ½ cup leeks (or substitute onions), chopped fine
  • 2 cups drained diced tomatoes
  • 2 quarts chicken stock, homemade or canned
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp. parsley
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup rice

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a heavy 3-to 4-quart saucepan. Add the beans and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour. Return the pan to the stove, and over low heat simmer the beans uncovered for 1-1½ hours, or until they are barely tender. Drain the beans and set aside.

Melt the butter over moderate heat in a heavy 10-to 12- inch skillet. When the foam subsides, add the peas, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, and celery. Toss constantly with a wooden spoon to coat the vegetables. Cook 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Fry the bacon in a heavy 6-to8-quart saucepan over moderate heat until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels, but retain the grease in the pot. Stir in the onion and leeks. Continue to stir until the vegetables are soft and lightly brown, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, vegetables from the skillet, chicken stock, bay leaf, parsley, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Add the rice, beans, and bacon. Cook 15 – 20 minutes longer.

Garnish

½ tbsp. dried basil

½ tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic, chopped fine

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients into a small bowl. Stir well.

To Serve

Ladle into individual bowls. Sprinkle with herb/garlic mixture. Pass a bowl of grated cheese.

Leftovers freeze well and heat up easily in the microwave.

Serves 8

May you enjoy all the days of your life around a well laden table!

Sloane

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Award-winning author Sloane Taylor is a sensual woman who believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes sexually explicit romances that takes you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after. Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives. Taylor was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. Studly, her mate for life, and Sloane now live in a small home in Indiana and enjoy the change from city life. Feel free to email me at sloanetaylor@comcast.net or visit my blog http://sloanetaylor.blogspot.com/