So I was the last to fall in the family. Flu struck but I was the one that ended up in bed for almost a week. All I could think about was a bowl of hot steaming soup, even though it is summer here in Cape Town and the heat is in the high 20sC(80sF).
My son Frederic is on his GAP year and he too has been craving his favorite minestrone soup.
So, I dragged myself into my garden to find a few rogue vegetables and finished off my list from the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. The outcome, thanks to Ruth, my right-hand woman, was just what the doctor ordered.
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1C celery, chopped
- 1C carrots, chopped
- 1 tin of tomatoes with juices (410gm)
- 1C baby marrow, chopped
- 1C potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 can of cannellini beans
- 3C chicken(vegetable) broth
- 1C spinach, chopped
- 1C cooked pasta or 1/2C uncooked small pasta
- Heat olive oil and sauté onions.
- Once softened, add garlic and cook briefly.
- Add celery and carrots and continue sautéing until softened.
- Add tomatoes, zucchini and potatoes.
- Add chicken(vegetable) broth and cook until all vegetables are cooked through, 30 minutes or so.
- Add spinach and allow to cook for a few more minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta, heat through and serve.
- Add water or broth, if too thick.
- Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and a piece of crusty bread.
What I realized about this soup is that it is so easy to make and the minestrone rules are so flexible that you can almost empty your fridge into your pot, cook it up and enjoy every drop. I will definitely make it again and perhaps actually add some other veggies and even a tablespoon or two of pesto to give an extra flavour boost.
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