Minestrone Soup

 

Recipe : Minestrone soup with bacon, pasta and lots of vegetables

4 rashers bacon, chopped (try to get hold of some unsmoked if you can)

olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

1 stick celery, sliced finely

1 carrot, sliced finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup broccolini

1 cup spinach leaves

4 cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1/4 cup peas

4 mushrooms, sliced

4 cups water (or chicken stock)

1 tbsp chicken stock paste or 1 chicken stock cube

salt and pepper

1/2 cup pasta such as penne or macaroni

2 tbsp grated cheese (I used cheddar)

flax crackers for croutons (optional)

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the bacon until slightly crispy. 

Add the carrot, celery, bay leaf, onion and garlic and fry on low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Add the cabbage, broccolini, spinach, tomatoes, green beans and mushrooms and fry together until they are soft and the spinach well wilted. 

Add the stock or water and paste or stock cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. 

Add the pasta and cook until it's soft but with a little bite left. Add the peas and cook for a few more minutes. 

Serve in big bowls with some croutons and cheese and sprinkle with some paprika and black pepper if you like. Some crusty bread to dip in would be a very good idea.

Adapt this recipe to whatever you have available.