Epiphany Recipes: Minestrone Soup

This is the next in an ongoing series of tasty recipes from the parish of Epiphany.

How many times have I heard Epiphanites enter the Epiphany House kitchen and say, “ What are you making, it smells delicious?” The Number One answer is this soup. From the Simple Italian Cooking cookbook by Chuck Williams (Williams-Sonoma).

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 or 4 small potatoes, prefer Yukon Gold or Russet, peeled and cubed 1 large can diced tomatoes or fresh plum Roma (2-3 cups) 2 or 3 fresh oregano sprigs (Karen uses 1 Tablespoon dried oregano)
6 cups chicken broth
4-5 Fresh Swiss chard leaves or spinach leaves, washed, stems removed, cut into strips (or to taste)
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 cup elbow macaroni or other short pasta
Salt and Pepper

Garnish Option:

8-10 fresh basil leaves, rolled and cut into fine shreds
1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
• Add the onions and sauté until translucent 6-7 minutes.
• Add the carrots & celery and sauté until starting to soften 4-5 minutes
• Add the potatoes, tomatoes, oregano and chicken broth.
• Raise heat and bring to a high simmer.
• Reduce the heat to med-low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add the chard or spinach and the cannellini beans and their liquids and stir well.
• Cover and simmer over med-low heat until the chard/spinach is tender (about 15 minutes).. (or cook separately)
• Add the pasta, cover and simmer until the pasta is tender (about 15 minutes longer...or cook separately)
• Season with salt and pepper. Add more Oregano if needed.

Garnish option: Sprinkle bowl of soup with fresh basil and cheese. Add crusty Italian bread, hard Italian cheese like Fontinella, and fresh green salad for a complete meal. Buon Appetito!

*Karen’s Note: I deconstruct this recipe when serving it to the Staff. Instead of putting everything together in the cooking pot, I separate the pasta, spinach and soup in their own serving dishes so each person can add and create their own soup.

About the cook:

Karen Portelli is the Cook and Housekeeper for Epiphany House. She is a scratch cook for her family and friends for the past 30 years prior to accepting this position at Epiphany. She cooks for the staff and volunteers as she would for her family... feeding them a diet of fresh & healthy simple foods.