TLC Cooking "Emeril's Minestrone (Video)"

Emeril's Minestrone

YIELD generous 6 quarts, serving 12 to 16

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons	olive oil
4	slices bacon or pancetta, diced
1	large leek, white and light green parts only, split in half and rinsed very well under running water, thinly sliced
2 cups	chopped yellow onion
1 cup	chopped celery
1 cup	chopped yellow bell peppers
1 cup	chopped red bell peppers
2 tablespoons	minced garlic
12 cups	educed-sodium chicken broth
6 cups	water
2cans	whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup	dried Great Northern beans, picked over and soaked overnight
2cans	white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup	chopped carrots
1 cup	chopped parsnips
1 head	cauliflower, broken into small florets
1	Parmesan cheese rind, about 5 x 2 inches
2 teaspoons	dried basil leaves, or 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 teaspoons	salt, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon	crushed red pepper
2 cups	cubed zucchini
2 cups	cubed zucchini
2 cups	cubed yellow squash
2 cups	cubed potatoes
4 cups	packed fresh spinach, cabbage, or kale, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped

(28-ounce)(15-ounce)Finely grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, (optional)

PREPARATION:

n a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the leek, onion, and celery and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers and garlic and cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water, tomatoes, soaked beans, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, cheese rind, basil, salt, and crushed red pepper. (If you are using canned beans, add them in step 5 along with the spinach.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and potatoes. Return to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. If your soup gets too thick before serving, you may need to add a bit more water or chicken broth. Add the spinach (and canned beans, if using) and cook until veggies are of the desired consistency and flavors have come together, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove the cheese rind with a slotted spoon, and serve, garnished with grated Parmesan if desired.
This recipe was featured on the Plan Ahead Meals Episode of Emeril Green.

This recipe appears in: Soups

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