Green Minestrone Soup
Green Minestrone Soup
Source: South Beach Diet (Karen D'Attilo)
Modified By: Michael D'Attilo & Susan Ahearn
Yield: ~8 Servings
extra virgin olive oil (~3tbsp for frying, more for pasta)
1 pound pasta
2 bunches Swiss chard, chopped
3 leeks, white and green parts chopped (white halved & chopped)
2 cups green beans, cut into 1 in pieces
6 ribs celery, chopped
2 zucchinis, sliced
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
3 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
6-8 cups chicken broth
grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking the Soup
Heat about 3 tbsp of oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, minced garlic, dried oregano, pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften and loose some of their volume.
Add the broth, Swiss chard, and green beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender.
Stir in the parsley and zucchini. Cover and cook until heated through.
Cooking the Pasta
As the soup is cooking, bring water to a boil and add pasta. Salt only minimally (under-salt the pasta). Once the pasta is al dente, remove from water, place in bowl, and coat lightly in olive oil to prevent cooking.
Serving
Serve soup and pasta separately, allowing individuals to combine to their own tastes. Soup will be under-salted, which allows individuals to add salt (or the salty Parmesan cheese) to their own tastes as well.
(Alternative: Use only 2(?) teaspoons of minced garlic, and add 2(?) cloves of coarsely chopped garlic along with the parsely and zucchini.)
(Alternative: Use Cannellini Beans instead of pasta? Add Marjoram? -Sue)
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