Miami Minestrone

By Hklbrries

"I like comfort foods because they are forgiving. If I have root vegetables that have been overstaying their welcome in my crisper or slightly wilted celery or carrots, soups understand. If I have 15 cans or jars of beans on hand, stews are a perfect place for them.

At work, I'm organized when it comes to cooking. But when I rummage through my pantry and find six open bags of lentils, I surprise myself. And that's when lentil stew comes to the rescue.

Minestrone is the champ for using up hearty winter vegetables. It comes from the word minestra, which means "to dish up" or serve. However, to most Italians, it translates into "big soup." Think of it as a splendid creation that contains almost any combination of fresh vegetables, beans and pasta.

Although there are many kinds of minestrones, most are cooked until the vegetables fall apart and melt into one another. I like to make mine a bit al dente so each vegetable retains some of its identity, even though this is not traditional.

Generally, pasta, rice or broken pieces of spaghetti are added directly to the simmering soup. I love to use ditilini (tiny tubes) or acini de pepe (little peppercorns). I also use orzo, or for a bit of whimsy, little stellini (pasta stars).

Lastly, a sprinkling of fresh-grated Parmesan cheese over the top is a must. In fact, my Ligurian friends add the rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese while simmering the soup. I don't know if this cooking technique stems from frugality or a quest for added flavor, but I tried this in my last batch and it added a nice smoky taste.

I know my version is a bit unorthodox. But I wanted to incorporate some different ingredients. If you want to omit the yucca, substitute potatoes. You can also use batata or Carribbean sweet potato along with black beans in place of white beans.

Another option you may want to try is to fill an ovenproof bowl with soup. Place some toasted rounds of Italian or French bread on the soup, sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and bake 10 minutes until the cheeses melt and begin to turn golden.

If you don't feel like making pesto to drizzle over your soup, buy a small jar of it to add a crowning touch. Although this recipe contains a lot of ingredients, they are simmered together with little attention."

Steve Petusevsky

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 medium yucca, peeled and chopped, or 1 cup frozen peeled yucca, defrosted and chopped
• 1 medium all-purpose white potato, peeled and diced
• 1/4 small head cabbage, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 small yellow squash, chopped
• 1/2 (14 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped
• 2 quarts water
• 1/4 pound green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 large kale or chard leaves or 1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini, chickpeas or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dried pasta such as ditalini, orzo, broken spaghetti or capellini
• Rind from small 3- to 4-inch wedge of Parmesan cheese plus 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (both optional)
• 1/2 cup loose-packed basil leaves, chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce, for garnish (optional)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish (optional)

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a nonreactive large stockpot over medium-high heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots, garlic and Italian seasoning 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add yucca, potatoes, cabbage, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer and add green beans, kale, beans and pasta. Add cheese rind, if using. Cook 50 minutes to 1 hour or until all vegetables are tender and pasta is cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Remove soup from heat; add basil leaves, salt and pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, pesto and extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.