Friday, November 08, 2013

Minestra di Legumi e Verdura

Carla Emilia from Un'Arbanella di Basilico is hosting both the English and Italian editions of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I haven't settled for just one ingredient - I have fourteen!

Ardizzina Minestra di LegumiĀ© by Haalo

I'm kind of cheating a little as the fourteen ingredients all happen to be in this one pack and they include red lentils, green lentils, farro, orzo, split peas, millet, Scottish bean, borlotti, broad beans, cannellini, cowpea, red soya, green soya and chickpeas.

Azienda Ardizzina are based in Casale Monferrato and their stall is usually at the weekly Slow Food Earth Market in Alba and while I have been interested in their range of polenta and flour, as the weather cools, I've found the idea of a pot of hearty soup appealing.

To appease the legume-a-phobe Paalo, I've added a simple mix of vegetables - onion, celery, carrot, potato and peas - to the soup.

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Minestra di Legumi e Verdura

Ardizzina "Minestra di Legumi"
2 onions, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 carrots, diced
2 potatoes, diced
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen

First up, you need to soak the legumes - overnight in a large bowl covered in cold water. The next day they will have plumped up nicely and are ready to be used.

Mixed legumes, soakedĀ© by Haalo

When cutting the carrots and potatoes, make sure you cut to roughly the same size so that they will cook evenly.

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a saucepan and place over a low heat - tip in the onions and celery and cook slowly until softened but not coloured. Don't rush this part as this is where you get a lot of the flavour developing. Next add the carrots and potatoes and cook gently for another five minutes before adding in the drained legumes. Stir briefly and then fill the pan with water - if you prefer, you can use stock.

Let it simmer until the legumes and vegetables are tender then add the peas. I like to take the soup off the heat at this point and let it sit to allow the flavours to mingle and the peas to cook in the residual heat.

When ready to serve, just pop the soup back onto a low flame and bring to a gentle simmer.

Serve with grated parmesan and some crusty bread.

2 comments

  1. What a great mix that pack is, so varied and wholesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks - it is excellent and included legumes I'd never even heard of

      Delete

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