Spicy Chorizo Minestrone Recipes

ALICE WATERS'S SEASONAL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in a large pot, covered by several inches of water.
• The next day, simmer the beans 2 hours or until tender. Drain and set aside, reserving the cooking water.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes longer.
• Add 3 cups water and bring to a low boil. When boiling, add the leek and green beans. After 5 minutes, add the zucchini and tomatoes. After 15 minutes, add the spinach and beans and cook for 5 more minutes. If the soup is too thick, add water (reserved bean water is good).
• Remove the bay leaf and bare thyme sticks and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve in bowls, each garnished with grated Parmesan cheese or pesto.

SPICY MEXICAN MINESTRONE STEW

Steps:

• Shape the sausage firmly into 1/2-inch meatballs.
• Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until well browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the saucepan. Pour off any fat.
• Stir the broth, tomatoes, picante sauce and garlic powder in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Stir in the shells. Return the meatballs to the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in the green beans and kidney beans. Cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the shells are tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese before serving, if desired.

SPICY CHORIZO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and chorizo over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chorizo is crisp and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate.
• Return the pot to medium heat and add the tomato paste and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is caramelized and a shade darker, 3 to 5 minutes, covering the pan if the splattering is wild. Add the red-pepper flakes and a few grinds of black pepper, then remove from heat.
• Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the tomato mixture. Return the pot to the medium-high heat, and stir vigorously until the pasta is well coated. Add more pasta water until the sauce is glossy. Stir in the chorizo and season to taste with salt and pepper.

SPICY MINESTRONE WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cut sausage into pieces.
• Chop onion.
• Mince garlic.
• Dice potato and bell pepper.
• Cut zucchini in quarters lengthwise and then slice.
• Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat.
• Cook sausage until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Drain on paper towels, saving 1 tbs fat.
• Cook onion, garlic, potato and bell pepper in fat and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add sausage, tomatoes with their liquid, herbs, spices, pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste and stock.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in kidney beans with their liquid, zucchini and pasta and simmer until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper if needed.
• Pass cheese with the soup and let guests help themselves.

SPICY CHORIZO MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chili and chorizo and cook stirring often for 3 minutes.
• Add carrot end celery, cook stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the timates and stock.
• Bring to the boil and add the pasta. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is just tender.
• Stir in the peas, beans and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into warmed bowls, sprinkle with parmesan and serve with crusty bread.