Spring Minestrone with Mint and Basil Pistou

Name: Spring Minestrone with Mint and Basil Pistou
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 1 bunch Asparagus, woody ends removed; 4 Thick cut Bacon; 1 liters Basil, lightly packed; 6 servings Freshly ground black pepper; 6 Carrots; 3 Celery Stalks; 59 milliliters Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 6 servings Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 Fennel Bulb, fronds removed; 3 Cloves garlic; 1 Garlic clove; 2 Large Leeks, white and light green parts only; 473 milliliters Mint, lightly packed; 2 Small to medium Sweet Onions; 59 milliliters Grated Parmesan; 6 servings Paremesan Cheese and Parmesan Rind; 355 milliliters Peas; 1 Tbsp Pine Nuts; 1 teaspoon Salt; 6 servings salt and pepper; 1 bunch Swiss Chard, preferably green variety; 2 liters Chicken or Vegetable broth; 1 Zucchini

The recipe Spring Minestrone with Mint and Basil Pistou is ready in roughly 45 minutes and is definitely an amazing gluten free and primal option for lovers of Mediterranean food. This recipe serves 6. One portion of this dish contains around 21g of protein, 34g of fat, and a total of 517 calories. This recipe covers 36% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. A mixture of salt, peas, pepper, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful. It will be a hit at your Spring event. It works well as a main course.

Instructions

Cut 4 slices of bacon into pieces and cook on medium heat in your soup pan. I usually use a cast iron dutch oven to cook my soups.

Ingredients you will need

Bacon

Soup

Equipment you will use

Dutch Oven

Frying Pan

Once the bacon has slightly browned, about 4 minutes, add 3/4 of a small to medium sized sweet onion, half of a bulb of fennel, 1 leek, 3 carrots peeled, and 3 celery stalks all coarsely chopped.

Ingredients you will need

Celery Rib

Sweet Onion

Carrot

Fennel

Bacon

Leek

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, cover pan and let cook over medium heat stirring occasionally. This process will release the essence of the vegetables and also infuse the flavor of bacon into the pan.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable

Olive Oil

Bacon

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Let cook for about 25 minutes.

Pour in 8 cups of broth to the pot.

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add the rind from the Parmesan.

Ingredients you will need

Parmesan

Beef

Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-high. Stir occasionally and allow to cook for 20-25 minutes.

While the broth is cooking. Prepare your soup ingredients. Chop 1 leek, 1/2 of a small to medium sweet onion, the rest of the fennel bulb, 3 carrots, the zucchini, and around 4 large green Swiss Chard leaves, stems removed. Break the softer ends of the asparagus up into bite size pieces. This part of the process is best done with your hands as you can feel when the asparagus begins to get tougher, at which point you do not want to use it in the soup.

Ingredients you will need

Fennel Bulb

Sweet Onion

Swiss Chard

Asparagus

Zucchini

Carrot

Broth

Leek

Soup

Boil a pot of salted water to blanch the vegetables and prepare an ice bath to put them in after they have blanched. Once the water is boiling blanch the carrots for 4 minutes, then the zucchini for 3-4 minutes, the chard for 3- 4 minutes, and the asparagus for 2 minutes. Set aside until ready. If you are using fresh peas you would also blanch them at this point for 3 minutes. I used frozen because the ones at the market today didn't look so fresh.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Peas

Vegetable

Asparagus

Zucchini

Carrot

Swiss Chard

Water

Ice

Equipment you will use

Pot

Drain the broth into a large bowl. Make sure to really press down on the vegetable/bacon mixture to release all the broth being held in. Set aside broth. Discard the cooked vegetable and bacon mixture.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable

Bacon

Broth

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Saute the chopped leeks, onion, and fennel in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once they have softened and slightly browned add 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the broth to the pot and cook for around 4 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Clove

Fennel

Garlic

Broth

Leek

Onion

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add in the cooked cannellini beans and cook on medium-high for 10 minutes. Season with approx. 2 teaspoons salt and about 40 clicks of fresh ground black pepper. Remember the pistou and Parmesan will add saltiness to the soup so don't go overboard.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Black Pepper

Cannellini Beans

Parmesan

Salt

Soup

Put 1 cup frozen peas into the broth and cook for 1 minute.

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Peas

Add the blanched vegetables to the broth and turn off heat.

Ingredients you will need

Vegetable

Broth

Serve with a spoonful of basil and mint pistou, a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan, and some crusty bread. A good and inexpensive bottle of Provencal white wine also goes nicely while cooking and eating this soup!

Ingredients you will need

Crusty Bread