Laurie Gerstman shares this summer minestrone soup from Field of Greens, New Vegetarian Recipes from the Celebrated Greens Restaurant by Annie Somerville. She also provides a hearty winter variation. The flavors develops with time and this soup is definitely at its best on the second day.
Makes 8-9 cups
Fresh ripe tomatoes make a difference here – their sweet juice works with the flavorful bean broth and the starch of the pasta to make a delicious base for this summer vegetable soup. Cook the red beans with a sprig of oregano and leaves of sage and bay; as the beans cook, they’ll release their starch and take on the essence of the herbs. For a hearty winter minestrone, you can add white beans or chick peas and substitute ribbons of chard or kale for the spinach.
- 1/2 cup dried red beans, about 3 ounces, sorted and soaked overnight.
- 6 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-size red onion, diced, about 2 cups
- salt and pepper
- 1/4t dried basil
- 1/4t dried oregano
- 1 small carrot, diced about 3/4
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, diced about 3/4 cup
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced about 3/4 cup
- 1 small zucchini, about 3/4 cup
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, about 3 cups, or 1 – 28oz can tomatoes with juice, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup small pasta, cooked al dente, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 bunch fresh spinach or chard, cut into thin ribbons and washed, about 2 cups packed
- 2 T chopped fresh basil
- grated Parmesan cheese
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Place the beans in a 2-quart saucepan with the water, 1 bay leaf, the sage leaves, and the oregano.
- Bring to boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove herbs.
- While the beans are cooking,
- heat the olive oil in a soup pot.
- Add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, dried herbs, and a few pinches of pepper.
- Saute the onion over medium heat until soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, peppers and zucchini and saute for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook to 1 to 2 minutes, until the pan is almost dry.
- Add the tomatoes, then the pasta, spinach or chard, and the beans with their broth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the fresh basil just before serving.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Laurie’s Experience
- For ease, I used canned and bottled beans, instead of dry. The ratio is 1 dairy:3 cooked. The beans, their liquid and water should total 7 1/2 cups.
- I used canned tomatoes.