Minestrone two ways

I married into a family with a Midwest Mom.  My mother-in-law, Cheryl, is the youngest of eight.  She once said that while her family was saying grace for a meal, she would have her hand reaching out for a roll, so that the older kids wouldn’t eat it all.  Her cooking is fast and delicious and always enough to feed the whole family.  There’s not quite eight of us, but her three kids are all married, so us six twenty-somethings can make a scene.

While I was engaged to David, I spent quiet time with Cheryl at their family’s house, eating her good cooking and reading the bible.  It was a tough time in my life.  I had just moved back to Reno, just days after my college graduation and many aspects of life were unknown or fragile.  I missed my friends from school and had just left a band I played in for three years.  I also had called myself a Christian since high school, but hadn’t read or understood as much of the bible as I probably should have at that time.  Those days spent in conversation, prayer, and just living life together were exactly what I needed.

Cooking, farming, and general interest in food are deep in my genes, but I didn’t spend much time cooking on my own until I was married.  Oh what a joy it is to be in the kitchen!  Alone or with David, or breaking bread with friends, it is just my favorite place to be.  Cheryl gave me the recipe for her minestrone soup which is much coveted by David and his siblings whenever she makes it.  Her instructions were mostly “a can of this” or “a handful of that” (and let’s be honest, those are the best kind) and so I tried to write it out in the way that I have previously made it.

Cheryl’s Midwest Minestrone

1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can cut green beans (16 oz)
1 can cut tomatoes (16 oz)
1 can kidney beans (16 oz)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 small head green cabbage, coarsely chopped
Water to cover
8 oz fresh tortellini
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Saute bacon over medium heat in a dutch oven or thick-bottomed soup pot.  When bacon begins to brown, add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add peppers and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.

Add green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans, bouillon cubes, and italian seasoning and fill with water until ingredients are just covered.  Bring to a boil.  Add cabbage and reduce heat to medium low.  Partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add tortellini and simmer for another 7-12 minutes, according to package instructions.  Check seasoning for salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and minced parsley.

The best thing about this soup is that substitutions can be easily made.  We’re members of a CSA (community supported agriculture) and I’ve also been gardening at my gracious friends, Ryan and Lauren’s house.  This soup was put together with a mixture of those two sources and my own pantry.  I served the soup with a homemade asiago focaccia and a Black Butte porter. Viola!

Farmer’s Market, Garden and Pantry Special Minestrone

1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz deli bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces
8 oz green beans, ends trimmed and coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch swiss chard, chopped
12 oz fresh fava beans, shelled
3 medium zucchini, split lengthwise and chopped
2 tbsp oregano, minced
2 tsp beef bouillon paste
Water to cover (you can also use an equal amount of beef or vegetable stock for the water+bouillon)
16 oz dried tortellini
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley and parmesan to garnish

Saute bacon over medium heat in a dutch oven or thick-bottomed soup pot.  When bacon begins to brown, add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add peppers and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.

Add green beans, tomatoes, zucchini, fava beans, swiss chard, oregano, and bouillon paste.  Add water until ingredients are just covered and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, partially cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add tortellini and simmer for another 12 minutes.  Check seasoning for salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with parmesan and parsley.