Minestrone

Minestrone

Makes 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour

Essentially, vegetable soup, best made with a little bit of prosciutto. Consider this recipe a series of suggestions, rather than something ironclad; you can make minestrone with any vegetables you have on hand.

4 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 carrot, peeled & diced

� C minced prosciutto or other ham (optional)

4 C assorted mixed vegetables, cut into small cubes if necessary: potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, string beans, cooked dried beans (cranberry beans, or borlotti, are traditional), celery, zucchini or summer squash, pumpkin or winter squash, leeks, parsnips, turnips, etc.

Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

5 C chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water, preferably warmed

10 sprigs fresh parsley, more or less

1 C cored, peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place 3 T of the oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the ham if  you're using it and cook, stirring, another 3 minutes. 2. Add the remaining vegetables, season with salt & pepper (go easy on  the salt if you've included ham), and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock or water, parsley, and tomatoes and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes. (You cay prepare the soup in advance up to this  point.  Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before   proceeding.) 3. Sprinkle with the remaining olive oil and serve, passing the cheese at the table.

Beef & Vegetable Soup

Replace the ham with � lb minced beef (leftover beef stew is not only okay but preferable). Use beef stock if at all possible.

Cookbook: How to Cook Everything

Typed by: Susan alexanderjamesmom@gmail.com

Contributed by:

 * Catsrecipes Y-Group