Minestrone Soup II

Description
Serves 10-12; preparation time 20 min; cooking time 2 hours.

The soup may also be frozen before the macaroni is added.

To serve, thaw the soup at room temperature for 2 hours,

reheat over low heat, add the macaroni and simmer, covered,

until the macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes.

Ingredients
500g dried haricot or Sugar beans, soaked in water overnight, covered

2 tablespoons rindless Bacon, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 small cabbage, finely shredded

4 leeks, finely sliced

4 baby marrows, diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 stalks table celery, diced

4 carrots, diced

2 tomatoes, skinned and diced

1½ litres boiling water

1 sprig fresh rosemary or a pinch dried rosemary

Pinch dried basil

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

75ml oil

½ cup raw elbow macaroni

1 tablespoon salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Garnish : grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a saucepan, cook the beans in the water in which the were soaked until tender,

1 to 1½ hours. Cook the beans slightly, then press half through a sieve or liquidize

in a blender to form a purée. Drain the remaining beans and set aside. Heat the oil

in a large saucepan and gently sauté the garlic, Onion, celery, carrots, rosemary and

Bacon until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and sauté a few minutes longer, adding a

little Sugar if necessary. Add the cabbage, leeks baby marrows, basil, bay leaf, parsley,

salt and pepper. Add the whole and puréed beans together with the boiling water. Add the

macaroni and simmer, covered, until the macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve

garnished with Parmesan cheese.

The soup may also be frozen before the macaroni is added. To serve, thaw the soup at room

temperature for 2 hours, reheat over low heat, add the macaroni and simmer, covered, until

the macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes.

Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.