Best Tom Colicchios Summer Minestrone Recipes

TOM COLICCHIO'S SUMMER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Place cranberry beans in a saucepan, add cold water to cover generously and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, blacken skin of pepper over open flame, peel, core, rinse, pat dry and cut in small dice. Set aside.
• Fill a large bowl with water and plenty of ice. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add fava beans and peas and boil 6 minutes. Add green beans and wax beans, and cook 3 minutes longer. Drain vegetables, and place in ice water. When cold, drain again and set aside.
• Cut celery, leeks, onion, fennel, carrots, zucchini and eggplant in uniform small dice, keeping vegetables separate.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in an 8- to 10-quart pot. Add garlic and about a third of the celery, leeks, onion, fennel and carrots, taking care to maintain oil at a slow sizzle. Season with salt and pepper. Continue adding these vegetables gradually so oil keeps sizzling, seasoning as you go. When all have been added, continue cooking 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add zucchini, eggplant and reserved red pepper gradually, so slow cooking in pot is maintained. Keep seasoning with salt and pepper. When all these vegetables have been added, stir in tomato paste and enough stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a simmer.
• Add escarole, and cook about 6 minutes, until tender. Stir in cranberry beans and thyme. If serving immediately, add fava beans, peas, green beans, wax beans, basil and remaining olive oil. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if needed. To serve later, fill sink to depth of six inches with cold water and ice, and place pot in sink to stop cooking. When cool, set aside or refrigerate. When ready to serve, add fava beans, peas, green beans and wax beans, basil and remaining olive oil, and reheat to simmer before serving.

THE BEST MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the potatoes and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Return the pancetta to the pot, stir in the tomatoes and 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add the kale, beans and their liquid and pasta and continue to cook until the pasta is cooked through and the kale is tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with grated Parmesan.

CONTEST-WINNING EASY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil and butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, parsley, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add macaroni; cook, uncovered, 6-8 minutes or until macaroni and vegetables are tender., Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.