A kind of minestrone soup

A kind of minestrone soup

Autumn

Many of the things I ate as a child I have learned to cook from my memory – there wasn’t anything written down. Soups, like this minestrone – which my mum made regularly and I absolutely loved – made such an impression on me that words, weights and measures were unnecessary. Instead, I can close my eyes and see her making it. I see the different vegetables and herbs, her dark oval chopping board and the heavy pan warming on the stove. I can see how it is built up, in layers, I can see the size of the little bubbles that rise to the surface as the soup simmers gently away. I remember the beans, the olive oil and the colour. But most importantly, the taste, texture and balance between the ingredients.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 or 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 4–5mm (¼in) cubes
  • 4 tender celery sticks, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 3 or 4 bay leaves
  • 2 x 400g (14oz) tins good-quality plum tomatoes
  • 2 litres (70fl oz) vegetable stock
  • 1 x 400g (14oz) tin of haricot beans, drained and rinsed
  • 100g (3½oz) spaghetti
  • 1 bunch of kale, chard or spinach, tougher stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped
  • a couple of handfuls of runner beans, stringy edges peeled and beans thinly sliced; or the same amount of green beans, topped and tailed and cut into pieces
  • 1 small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and chopped
  • grated Parmesan, to serve
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When it’s hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay. Season with salt and pepper. Cook gently, stirring regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften and smell sweet, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat if you need to so that the vegetables don’t colour.

Empty the tinned tomatoes into a bowl and use your hands to crush them thoroughly, then tip them into the pan with the soft vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15–20 minutes, then add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Allow the soup to cook gently for about 45 minutes, then add the haricot beans. Break the spaghetti into short lengths and add that, too. Return the pan to a simmer and cook for a further 30 minutes, then add the kale, chard or spinach and runner or green beans and stir well. Give the soup a final 15–20 minutes cooking, until all the vegetables are tender. If at any point it is looking too thick, add some water. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then stir in the parsley.

I like to take the pan off the heat and let the soup stand at this point, I think it benefits from 15–20 minutes just being, before you ladle it into bowls and serve trickled with plenty of your best olive oil and scattered with finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Don’t worry if you don’t eat it all in one sitting. This minestrone (and others like it) can taste even better the following day.

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