Recipe
Minestrone

Recipe Minestrone

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Recipe MINESTRONE

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced*

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 large carrot, coarsely chopped

6-8 cups vegetable stock

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 zucchini, sliced

1 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups cooked Flageolet beans or Italian green beans

1 teaspoon good quality salt (more or less to taste)

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (if dried, use about 2 teaspoons or to your taste)

1 Tablespoon fresh, parsley, chopped (if dried, use about 1 teaspoon or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 cup whole-grain elbow macaroni

Sauté onions, garlic, carrots and celery in oil until soft. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes and salt. Bring soup to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, partially covered.

Add the zucchini, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, green beans, parsley, basil and turmeric and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more stock or water, if needed. (Extra liquid will be needed for the macaroni.) Turn off heat, add macaroni, cover and let sit until macaroni is cooked. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*A head or bulb of garlic usually contains about 10 cloves. 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped garlic = 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder = 1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic juice

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a round, tan-colored bean that are popular in the Middle East and India, and which can be made into flour. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 75 minutes to cook.

Flageolet beans are a pale green, mild tasting bean that are popular in Italian and French cuisine. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

Kidney beans are a popular North American bean that can be light red or dark red and get their name because they are shaped like a human kidney. Kidney beans are popular in Mexican foods and often called “chili” beans. They are in the same family as haricot or white navy beans. They need to be soaked before cooking (either overnight or using fast-soak method) and will take about 45 minutes to cook.

How to cook beans

Most legumes, with the exception of split peas and lentils, need to be soaked before they are cooked. There are two methods for doing this, and either method is effective. It should be noted that the Fast-soak method seems to remove more of the gas-producing compounds.

Overnight method

Cover washed and sorted beans with water and allow them to soak overnight. Then drain the water, rinse the beans, add more water and cook according to directions. See description of each bean below for specific cooking times.

Fast-soak method

Cover washed and sorted beans with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-5 minutes, and cover and let stand for one hour. Discard soaking water, rinse, cover with new water and cook as directed.

Enjoy this Recipe Minestrone.

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