Winter Minestrone
serves 4-6
Recipe from cookthink
This chunky minestrone is garnished with tangy pickled okra. A parmesan rind adds a delicate depth of flavor to the broth that is hard to reproduce; freeze rinds until you're ready to make this hearty winter soup.
ingredients
2 pieces bacon, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium head green cabbage, cut into bite-size squares
4-6 radishes, thinly sliced and halved
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 parmesan rind
5 cups water or chicken broth
Thinly sliced pickled okra for garnish
timer
prep: 20 minutes
total: 45 minutes
tools
stock pot
wooden spoon
instructions
1. Prep all the ingredients. Heat the bacon and olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, and cook until the bacon renders most of its fat and starts to turn crisp, 4-6 minutes.
2. Add the onion, carrot and celery and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, another 4-6 minutes.
3. Add they rosemary, thyme and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except for the pickled okra, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft, 30-40 minutes.
4. Remove any herb stems, the bay leaf and remaining pieces of the parmesan rind. Add salt and pepper to taste.
