Leann's Seasonal Minestrone Soup

 

I simply love minestrone. You can make this seasonal with summer zucchini or in the fall with turnips or rutabaga. If you do not have a garden you can always visit your local farmers market and pick up seasonal produce for your area. This zesty soup is fantastic for just about any time of the year. Some people say it is the Italian version of our American Chili. It dates back to the 2nd century when the Latin tribes of Rome started expanding throughout the rest of Italy. The economic times were changing, allowing people to plant a wide range of vegetables. At the time of its creation leftovers were always used to prevent waste. There is no exact way to make this soup it is all based on the seasonal availability of what is in the pantry. I prefer to cook this way too. It allows for freedom of creativity. Make this dish your own too. Simply taste your creation along the way and adjust it to how you and your family enjoy it. Just have fun with this super flavorful vegetarian dish that has been in existence for over 1,800 years.

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Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 Cups garbanzo beans dried or 1 16 oz can drained and rinsed
• 3 Quarts chicken stock
• 3 Bay leaves
• 2 Cans of 15 oz tomatoes chopped
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Onions chopped we selected red
• 3 Stalks celery cut into 1/4" pieces
• 3 Carrots cut into 1/4" pieces
• 3 Cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Small bunch thyme
• 1/4 Cup chopped parsley loosely packed
• 4 oz Mushrooms chopped we selected crimini
• 2-3 Cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 Jalapeno sliced (optional)
• 1 1/2 Cup green snap beans (fresh or frozen)
• 1 Can of white beans drained and rinsed
• 3 oz Tomato paste (1/2 can)
• 1 1/2 Cup Campanelle pasta dried
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation - 8 Hours Cook Time - 30 minutes Serving 6-8

1. Start by rehydrating your garbanzo beans by soaking them in chicken stock and canned tomatoes. We did this overnight in the refrigerator. By doing this the soup has more of a layered flavor. This is not necessary you can always use canned garbanzo beans that are drained and rinsed.
2. Heat the stock, tomatoes, and rehydrated garbanzo beans. Add the bay leaves to the liquid and bring to a simmer.
3. We sautéed the vegetables in olive oil in a separate large skillet and added that to the broth that we hydrated the garbanzo beans.
4. You can do this by heating the oil over medium heat then saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms together with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Do this until the onions become translucent. The garlic will be added at the end and sauteed for another two minutes.
5. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture to the stock, tomato, and garbanzo bean mixture. Now it is time to add your dried, fresh herbs, jalapeno, green beans, canned beans, tomato paste, and pasta.
6. Simmer all the ingredients together for another nine minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Serve this delicious meal as a main course as is, with crusty bread. - Enjoy