MURCH MINESTRONE

Makes 6 decent portions

Great for a lighter dinner or hearty post run lunch.

‘Making the minestrone’ was one of the very first jobs I was trusted with then starting out as a commis chef on my culinary journey.

Minestrone soup comes from a genre of cuisine referred to as ‘Cucina Povera’ which literally means poor kitchen/poor peoples cuisine. In my head I see this as a way of using humble ingredients and turning it into something special.

Ingredients

900g diced mixed veg, celery, onion, carrots, peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped garlic (can use “lazy garlic”)

1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes

1.5l stock & 500ml for re-heating

200g dry weight macaroni pasta (can use gluten free)

2 tins cooked beans, drained (borlotti or pinto work best)

150g fresh diced tomato to finish

1 tbsp green pesto to serve

Method

1. In a large soup pan heat the olive oil and cook the veg for 4-5mins to release the sweetness.

2. Add the garlic and cook for further 1-2mins.

3. Add tinned tomatoes and stock and simmer for 15-20mins

4. Next stage add the cooked beans and pasta and simmer for a further 5-8mins until the pasta is just cooked.

5. Stir through the diced fresh tomato at the last minute. Top with a spoonful of fresh pesto.

6. When reheating add extra stock as it will thicken in the fridge.