Best Minestrone With Crisp Parmesan Crumbs Recipes

MINESTRONE WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, carrots and pancetta and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups water, the cabbage, chard, potato, chicken stock, tomatoes and bouquet garni. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place half of the beans (1 1/2 cups) in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the bean puree and the whole beans to the soup and simmer 10 minutes. Add the spinach and cook 2 more minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cheese.

HUNTER'S MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Combine the stock and halved garlic head in a big saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes to give the stock a nice, garlicky taste; strain out the garlic. Keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.
• Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sage, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor. Add to the saucepan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
• To the pan with the sausage stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cannelloni beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain and stir into the simmering soup. Add the parsley, and salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
• To serve, preheat the broiler. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float a couple of the baguette slices on top.

SUMMER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy pot add a 3-count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic, onion, bay leaf, marjoram and basil. Saute gently until fragrant. Add the vegetables and cook a little of the moisture out, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Dump in the chicken stock and heavy cream bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 so the flavours can come together - do not let it boil hard. Remove half of the vegetables from the pot and puree and add back to the pot to thicken. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Serve each bowl with a spoonful of basil and mint pesto on top, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with watercress or parsley.
• Put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until just combined and the pesto still has a lot of texture.

HEARTY MINESTRONE WITH PARMESAN RIND

Steps:

• Crostini: In bowl, toss together bread, oil and pepper; spread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 400 oven, tossing once until golden and crisp, 6 - 8 minutes. (Can make ahead).
• Cook pasta before adding to soup.
• Soup: Saute onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper for about 5 - 8 minutes or until cooked. Scrape into slow cooker.
• Stir in tomato paste, ham hock, parmesan rind, potato, red and white beans and water. Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or until ham can be pulled off bone easily. Discard bay leaves and Paremesan rind.
• Increase heat to high. Stir in red pepper and zucchini; cook, covered for 20 minutes.
• Stir in cooked pasta.