Rachs Minestrone Is A Classic Recipes

CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, beans and 2 1/2 cups water. Add broth, zucchini, pasta and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and additional parsley, if desired.

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.)

RACH'S MINESTRONE IS A CLASSIC

Steps:

• Cover the dry beans with water and soak them overnight
• Or, cover them with boiling water and soak for 1 hour then rinse and drain
• (For even quicker cooking, substitute canned beans and just add them to the soup along with tomatoes and stock
• ) Place soaked beans in a 6- to 8-quart pot and cover them with 3 inches of water
• Add bay and halved onion, and bring to full boil
• Salt water liberally and cook beans to tender, about 45 minutes
• Let cool in their liquid, which will be about 2 cups once cooked
• Heat a large Dutch oven or 8-quart soup pot over medium heat, add olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and pancetta
• Render 3-5 minutes then add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper
• Sweat veggies 15 minutes, stirring occasionally then add potatoes and zucchini or other vegetable of choice, and season with salt
• Partially cover and soften 15-20 minutes more
• Wilt in escarole or kale
• In a small saucepan, add porcini mushrooms and stock just to cover, about 2 cups
• Simmer until the porcinis are softened, about 15 minutes
• Add herbs, tomatoes, remaining stock and cheese rind, and simmer a minimum of 1 hour and ideally 2 hours
• Add porcini and stock, leaving any grit behind, along with the beans and their liquid
• Cool 5 minutes and remove herb bundle, bay leaf and rind
• Serve in shallow bowls topped with a fat drizzle of good EVOO and some grated cheese
• Pass crusty bread at the table for mopping

TRADITIONAL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in nonstick Dutch oven.
• Add onion, garlic and salt.
• Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add celery, carrot, green beans and seasonings.
• Cover and cook overy very low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add bell pepper, water and spaghetti sauce.
• Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add beans and simmer another 5 minutes.
• Bring to a gentle boil.
• Add pasta.
• Stir and cook until pasta is done.
• Serve topped with parsley and parmesan.