senior citizen
04-09-2014, 06:34 AM
Everything "old" is "new again". This was one of my favorite childhood soups, along with lentil soup as coming in a close "tie". Perfect for a lenten meal, for those who still follow the lenten custom of abstaining from meat. Perfect for all vegetarians, etc. out there. Tons of veggies included as well as beans........delicious. Just gather up all the ingredients first and then proceed. It takes care of itself.....simmering on the stove......you can eliminate any of the veggies you do not care for (I love broccoli myself but NOT in my minestra/minestrone soup).
MINESTRONE "MINESTRA" (Italian Vegetable Soup) Serves 8 / makes great leftovers
1/4 cup virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer
6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
One 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Contadina or San Marzano) or crush by hand whole canned Italian tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
2 teaspoons basil ( fresh chopped or dried )
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
__________________________________________________ ______________________
1 cup chopped celery
2 carrots, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup green beans
10 to 12 broccoli "florets" not the stems (can be eliminated, or not, your choice)
1/2 package frozen peas (or 1/4 cup fresh peas)
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*****ONE SMALL BUNCH ESCAROLE CHOPPED (MY FAVORITE) added at the very end
2 cups precooked dried beans OR 2 cans CANNED BEANS ARE FINE (DRAINED,RINSED) to include: Either PROGRESSO White Cannelini Beans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, pinto beans, etc. or any combination of above.
I do increase the amount of beans and add chicken broth.....but water is o.k. as is vegetarian broth
1/2 cup pasta (small shells, ditilini, small elbows or broken spaghetti)
1 1/2 QUARTS COOKING WATER.......OR MORE AS NEEDED (or broth if desired)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese * Salt and pepper to taste *
Ground nutmeg, if desired, can be added to soup.....just a bit.
************************************************** **********************
TO PREPARE SOUP:
SAUTE GARLIC, ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS IN OIL UNTIL SOFT.
ADD TOMATOES, PARSLEY AND ALL SEASONINGS; SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
ADD CANNED BEANS (or cooked dried beans) and PASTA and continue simmering.
In another LARGE pot, cook or steam in a little water, ALL THE CHOPPED VEGGIES .
NOW COMBINE ALL THE VEGGIES WITH the 1 1/2 QUARTS COOKING WATER......or stock/broth....whatever....into the big soup pot.
Note:
I do not use the two pots like above.......I just add the veggies to the first BIG SOUP POT.
************************************************** ***************************
ADD ADD THE WASHED, RINSED , COARSELY CHOPPED ESCAROLE 10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING. ESCAROLE WILTS DOWN VERY QUICKLY AND REDUCES TO A FRACTION OF ITS ORIGINAL SIZE.
Escarole and Spinach were what our family used the most for "greens".
Pass the parmesan cheese at the table. Serve with a good crusty bread.
A meal in and of itself...........you will not need a vitamin as all the veggies are in there.
Mangia !
My dad and mom, grandmother, aunts, etc. made Minestrone/Minestra from memory.
You can "tweak" it yourself, eliminating or adding what you prefer.
The above recipe has been used since 1993 from book received as a gift....
This cookbook was reprinted from the original "Cooking on the Lam"
""The recipes were tested by Mob heavy hitters as well as F.B.I. agents, and U.S. Marshalls, and are heavily seasoned with "Joe Dogs" stories of life inside the mob.""
The Mafia Cookbook
Joseph "Joe Dogs" Iannuzzi
Simon and Schuster
MINESTRONE "MINESTRA" (Italian Vegetable Soup) Serves 8 / makes great leftovers
1/4 cup virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer
6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped finely
1 large onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
One 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes (Contadina or San Marzano) or crush by hand whole canned Italian tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
2 teaspoons basil ( fresh chopped or dried )
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
__________________________________________________ ______________________
1 cup chopped celery
2 carrots, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large zucchini, chopped
3/4 cup green beans
10 to 12 broccoli "florets" not the stems (can be eliminated, or not, your choice)
1/2 package frozen peas (or 1/4 cup fresh peas)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*****ONE SMALL BUNCH ESCAROLE CHOPPED (MY FAVORITE) added at the very end
2 cups precooked dried beans OR 2 cans CANNED BEANS ARE FINE (DRAINED,RINSED) to include: Either PROGRESSO White Cannelini Beans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, pinto beans, etc. or any combination of above.
I do increase the amount of beans and add chicken broth.....but water is o.k. as is vegetarian broth
1/2 cup pasta (small shells, ditilini, small elbows or broken spaghetti)
1 1/2 QUARTS COOKING WATER.......OR MORE AS NEEDED (or broth if desired)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese * Salt and pepper to taste *
Ground nutmeg, if desired, can be added to soup.....just a bit.
************************************************** **********************
TO PREPARE SOUP:
SAUTE GARLIC, ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS IN OIL UNTIL SOFT.
ADD TOMATOES, PARSLEY AND ALL SEASONINGS; SIMMER FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
ADD CANNED BEANS (or cooked dried beans) and PASTA and continue simmering.
In another LARGE pot, cook or steam in a little water, ALL THE CHOPPED VEGGIES .
NOW COMBINE ALL THE VEGGIES WITH the 1 1/2 QUARTS COOKING WATER......or stock/broth....whatever....into the big soup pot.
Note:
I do not use the two pots like above.......I just add the veggies to the first BIG SOUP POT.
************************************************** ***************************
ADD ADD THE WASHED, RINSED , COARSELY CHOPPED ESCAROLE 10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING. ESCAROLE WILTS DOWN VERY QUICKLY AND REDUCES TO A FRACTION OF ITS ORIGINAL SIZE.
Escarole and Spinach were what our family used the most for "greens".
Pass the parmesan cheese at the table. Serve with a good crusty bread.
A meal in and of itself...........you will not need a vitamin as all the veggies are in there.
Mangia !
My dad and mom, grandmother, aunts, etc. made Minestrone/Minestra from memory.
You can "tweak" it yourself, eliminating or adding what you prefer.
The above recipe has been used since 1993 from book received as a gift....
This cookbook was reprinted from the original "Cooking on the Lam"
""The recipes were tested by Mob heavy hitters as well as F.B.I. agents, and U.S. Marshalls, and are heavily seasoned with "Joe Dogs" stories of life inside the mob.""
The Mafia Cookbook
Joseph "Joe Dogs" Iannuzzi
Simon and Schuster