BROCCOLI, ASPARAGUS & POTATOES
Level 2
Mature Minestrone
Serves 4
- a Marlene Samuels creation -
Are your potatoes growing antennae? Is your asparagus tired and your broccoli exhausted? Consider yourself lucky. The potatoes and asparagus are good as new when you cut out the sad parts with a good paring knife. Combine with the broccoli as is, and you've got a fabulous minestrone-style soup.
1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 cups past peak vegetables (broccoli, asparagus and other "meaty" veggies)
2 stalks celery, peeled and coarsely chopped
4-6 cups chicken broth
½ dry white wine (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
- Rinse vegetables you’d like to treat with a sharp paring knife, trimming off any discolored or soft parts.
- In a stockpot, heat butter or oil over low heat. Add garlic and onion until translucent. Add trimmed vegetables, and stir to coat with butter or oil.
- Add broth and wine and bring to a boil. Halfway through cooking add salt and pepper.
- Turn heat down to simmer and cover for half hour.
- Allow soup to cool. Strain solids; reserve liquid in a pot. Add solids to a food processor. Puree until smooth; gradually adding back broth to the pot with the liquid, blending well with a whisk. Reheat to serve.
Serving suggestions: For a tasty garnish, add a dollop of sour cream, pesto, sesame oil, tapanade, chopped parsley or crumbled bacon.
Variations:
- For a summer soup, let the pureed version return to room temperature. Refrigerate for 2 hours; serve chilled.
- For a hearty soup, add a can of cannellini beans, rice, leftover pasta and serve with grated cheese on top to resemble more of a minestrone type soup.
