Grilled Zucchini and Garlic-White Bean Minestrone
I just made this up the other night because I wanted vegetable soup with white beans...this was the result, which was pretty damn good if I must say. The trick is to use the highest quality ingredients you can afford. However, since it's only vegetables and beans, it's not gonna break your bank. Cooking the beans yourself instead of using canned makes a difference. It takes time but it's worth it. Grilling zucchini is the absolute best way to cook them. You'll never look at zucchini the same way. I'm obsessed with them at the moment.
White Beans:
1 cup of dried white beans (soaked overnight in filtered water)
3 cloves garlic
filtered water (enough to cover the beans while simmering)
kosher or sea salt
Soup:
1 red onion (finely diced)
5 carrots (peeled and diced)
3 cloves of garlic (crushed and minced)
1 quart chicken broth
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup of good quality parmesan cheese (I use Grana Padano)
28oz can of tomatoes (preferably organic San Marzano, pureed in a blender)
extra virgin olive oil
Grilled Zucchini:
3 zucchini (preferably organic)
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
Finishing Touches:
6 fresh basil leaves (sliced into very thin ribbons)
1 Tbsp. garlic olive oil
Drain the soaked beans and then simmer them with garlic and enough water to cover them for about two hours in a small lidded pot.
Cut the zucchini straight down so that you have strips of zucchini about 1/4 inch thick. Lightly coat them with olive oil and then grill them on a grill pan. Salt each side. Grill until al dente and slightly, nicely charred. Cube the grilled zucchini.
Relax for an hour and then start on the soup. Saute the onion and carrots in e.v. olive oil until they get some nice caramelization on them and then add the garlic. Sweat that for about two minutes then add broth, water, parmesan and pureed tomatoes. When the beans are done, drain them and add them. Let the soup cook for about thirty minutes and then at the end turn off the heat and add garlic olive oil and basil. Taste and adjust with salt if necessary.
Serve in a bowl with grilled zucchini and some good bread.
White Beans:
1 cup of dried white beans (soaked overnight in filtered water)
3 cloves garlic
filtered water (enough to cover the beans while simmering)
kosher or sea salt
Soup:
1 red onion (finely diced)
5 carrots (peeled and diced)
3 cloves of garlic (crushed and minced)
1 quart chicken broth
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup of good quality parmesan cheese (I use Grana Padano)
28oz can of tomatoes (preferably organic San Marzano, pureed in a blender)
extra virgin olive oil
Grilled Zucchini:
3 zucchini (preferably organic)
olive oil
kosher or sea salt
Finishing Touches:
6 fresh basil leaves (sliced into very thin ribbons)
1 Tbsp. garlic olive oil
Drain the soaked beans and then simmer them with garlic and enough water to cover them for about two hours in a small lidded pot.
Cut the zucchini straight down so that you have strips of zucchini about 1/4 inch thick. Lightly coat them with olive oil and then grill them on a grill pan. Salt each side. Grill until al dente and slightly, nicely charred. Cube the grilled zucchini.
Relax for an hour and then start on the soup. Saute the onion and carrots in e.v. olive oil until they get some nice caramelization on them and then add the garlic. Sweat that for about two minutes then add broth, water, parmesan and pureed tomatoes. When the beans are done, drain them and add them. Let the soup cook for about thirty minutes and then at the end turn off the heat and add garlic olive oil and basil. Taste and adjust with salt if necessary.
Serve in a bowl with grilled zucchini and some good bread.
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