Fall Food

Minestrone

1/2 cup olive oil
3 T butter
1 thinly sliced onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups  diced green beans
3 cups shredded cabbage
3 oz. tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
parmesean cheese crusts
1/2 cup grated parmagiano-reggiano

•  In a large stock pot, cook the onion in the oil and butter about 5 minutes. Add each of the vegetables separately, cooking each 3 or 4 minutes before adding the next.
• Add the tomato paste, stirring until thoroughly mixed into the vegetables.
• Add tomatoes,broth and cheese crusts, bring to a boil, reduce to a slow simmer, cover and cook for 3 hours.
• Add the cheese.

I use beef broth and add a couple of bouillon cubes, either beef or chicken for added flavor. Or you could make your broth from bouillon. Or you could use vegetable broth.  If you don't make the effort to find the cheese crusts your soup will be very dull because it not only helps to thicken the soup slightly but adds amazing flavor. The crusts are the spice.  So you either save them up from your cheese consumption or you ask the cheese people at whatever store you frequent to give or sell you some. I add 3 crusts from the average sized parm chunks one usually buys. A great addition would be canned beans like cannellini, kidney, pinto or chickpeas.  This makes a huge amount which will feed the masses or 2 or 3 people for a week.