Minestrone

A version of the famous Italian soup of vegetables, pasta, and beans.

By Aida Mollenkamp

Minestrone is one of the best-known soups around, and when you take a look at what’s in it, it’s easy to understand why. Brimming with vegetables, pasta, and beans in a full-flavored broth, this healthy soup is filling enough to be considered a meal.

What to buy: For a slacker solution, buy high-quality canned white beans and replace the bean-cooking liquid with water.

Game plan: This soup is even tastier the day after it’s made, when the flavors have had a chance to meld.

We used chicken broth in this recipe to give it a heartier flavor, but you can substitute high-quality vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.

TIME/SERVINGS
Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins
Active Time: 35 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings 

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried cannellini beans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced 
1 small russet potato, medium dice
2 medium celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 medium bay leaf
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup ditalini, tubettini, or other small pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley (from about 1/2 bunch)
Grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place beans in a large saucepan, fill with about 5 cups heavily salted water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until beans are tender all the way through, about 2 hours. Reserve 4 cups of bean-cooking liquid. Drain beans and reserve.
2. Heat butter and oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once butter foams, add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add potato, celery, carrot, and bay leaf, and stir to coat. Cook until celery is just soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices, season with salt and pepper, stir (scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan), and cook until juices are almost completely reduced, about 2 minutes.
3. Add 1/2 of the green beans, 1/2 of the zucchini, 1/2 of the peas, and the broth and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until zucchini just begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in reserved beans and bean-cooking liquid; remaining green beans, zucchini, and peas; pasta; and 1/2 of the parsley, and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in remaining parsley, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. To serve, place soup in bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle grated cheese over top, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Beverage pairing: Masi Bonacosta Valpolicella, Italy. This soup has a wonderful medley of textures, so it’s nice to pair it with something smooth and easy that won’t get in the way. With its beans and root vegetables, minestrone is earthy in flavor, making it a good match for something of contrast, hence this simple but lovely Valpolicella. Made with a blend of grapes from Italy’s eastern coast, it has clear notes of cherry and plum and a light, soft finish.

Stir-Fried Ginger Shrimp

Serves 2

These are wonderfully messy shrimp that were meant to be eaten with fingers, chopsticks or forks. Since this stir-fry is so good cold on a salad of mixed greens, I've provided for leftovers in the recipe.

Allow 30 minutes to an hour for marinating and 3 to 4 minutes for stir-frying. Eat the shrimp hot from the pan or warm.

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine, or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon Chinese toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 packed teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice or cider vinegar
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound raw jumbo shrimp, shelled with tail section left intact
• 3 tablespoons cold-pressed vegetable or seed oil (safflower, canola or peanut)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large whole scallion, thinly sliced

1. Thirty minutes to an hour before cooking, combine the soy sauce, wine, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a medium bowl. Toss with the shrimp, cover and refrigerate.

2. Take the shrimp from refrigerator and scrape off the marinade, saving it in the bowl. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Drop in the shrimp, quickly sprinkle with a little salt and a generous amount of pepper. Stir fry about 3 minutes, or until they just turn pink and are barely firm. Don't overcook!

4. Scrape the marinade from the bowl into the wok and add the scallions. Continue stir frying another minute, or until shrimp are just firm, but not hard and rubbery. Immediately turn into a serving bowl Serve hot or warm.

Steamed Rice with Bok Choy

Use any recipe for cooking rice. Five minutes before the rice is done, fold in some chopped bok choy or Napa cabbage.

Panna Cotta with Ripe Mango

Cook to Cook: Use organic cream, if possible, and be sure the sour cream contains only cream and culture, no other additives such as gums or stabilizers (Daisy is one brand to look for). This recipe unmolds with a soft, creamy finish. For a firmer panna cotta, increase the gelatin to one teaspoon.

• 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste
• Dash of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream



• One ripe mango, peeled and diced for garnish

1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a 2-quart saucepan, warm the cream with the sugar, salt and vanilla over medium-high heat. Do not let it boil. Stir in the gelatin until thoroughly dissolved. Take the cream off the heat and cool about 5 minutes.

2. Put the sour cream in a medium bowl. Gently whisk in the warm cream a little at a time until smooth. Taste for sweetness. It may need another teaspoon of sugar. Rinse four 2/3-cup ramekins, custard cups, or coffee cups with cold water. Fill each one three-quarters full with the cream. Chill at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.

3. To serve, either unmold by packing the molds in hot towels and then turning each out onto a dessert plate, or serve in their containers. Spoon diced ripe mango on top.

Spicy Tangerine Beef

• 
  2 tangerines
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons water
• 3/4 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. Grate the zest from the tangerines; set aside. Peel the tangerines and separate into sections; reserve the sections. Stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water in a cup until smooth; set aside.

2. Spray a nonstick wok or large deep nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in it, add half of the beef and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes, using a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining beef.

3. Add the broccoli and the remaining 2 tablespoons water to the wok; cook, covered, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the scallions, bell pepper, garlic, tangerine zest, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper; stir-fry about 1 minute. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add to the wok; stir-fry until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute. Return the beef to the wok along with the tangerines; stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute longer.

TIPS:

This recipe invites improvising. Thinly sliced and less expensive beef chuck or round, pork tenderloin, shrimp, or firm tofu can stand in for the sirloin steak; yellow peppers can replace red ones; and broccolini, showpeas or asparagus could take the place of the broccoli.

Freeze the meat until it just begins to firm up and slicing thinly will be much easier.

Spicy and Sweet Chicken Saute

• 1/2 cup Chinese Hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons Chinese or Japanese soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup each dry white wine and rice or cider vinegar
• 8 large cloves garlic
• 1 fresh jalapeno chile, seeded (if you like it hot, leave in the seeds)
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry (organically raised, if possible)
• Canola or safflower oil (cold-pressed organic, if possible)

1. In a blender puree together all ingredients except the chicken and oil. Combine marinade with chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag and refrigerate up to 2 days.

2. Lightly film a large heavy skillet with oil and set over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken and brown quickly on both sides. Turn heat to medium-low and cook about 6 minutes per side, or until firm when pressed. Serve hot or warm.

TIPS:

The marinade also works with beef, pork and firm tofu.

Shorten marinating and cooking time by turning breasts into cutlets. Place pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder, rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy saucepan, pound each piece to about 1/2-inch thick. To cook, sear over high heat for 30 seconds per side. Then cook over medium-low another 3 minutes per side, or until firm when pressed.

Cook extra chicken to use over a green salad later in the week.

Sunflower Cherry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup rolled oats -- either quick cooking or old fashioned
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1/2 cup brown sugar -- packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup canola oil
5 tablespoons orange juice -- divided
1/2 cup cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 325°F. 

Combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, sunflower seeds and cherries in a large bowl. Add oil and 3 tablespoons orange juice, mixing well until all ingredients are fully combined. Reserve a half cup and press the rest into a lightly oiled 8-by-8-inch baking pan. 

Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice with the cherry preserves and spread evenly over the oat mixture in the pan. Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over the top and press down lightly with fingers. 

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool in the pan on a wire rack then cut into bars or squares. Store in an airtight container.

Garden Risotto

This recipe is adapted from Ellie Krieger.

Ingredients

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 lightly packed cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 pound asparagus, steamed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of the broth, the salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper and simmer, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more, until rice is almost tender and creamy-looking, about 18 minutes.

Add the spinach and peas and cook until the spinach is wilted. Add the asparagus and cook just until the vegetables are hot. Stir in the Parmesan and more broth if the risotto seems too thick. Serve in soup plates.