Minestrone Soup

from Finding Hearthstone

With good bread and cheese, this makes a hearty meal.  Serves at least 8 hungry workers.

Ingredients

½ lb. salt pork

2 cloves garlic

1 Spanish onion

2 quarts beef stock (made by boiling beef bones for at least an hour)

4 carrots

4 stalks celery

½ small cabbage

4–6 tomatoes

½ lb. green beans

1 large can red kidney beans

4–6 oz. macaroni (6 handfuls)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

2 tbsp. olive oil

Freshly ground parmesan cheese

Directions

Dice salt pork and sauté in a thick-bottomed soup pot until brown.

Finely chop garlic, cut onion into large chunks, and sauté with pork until golden. Add beef stock and simmer gently with finely sliced carrots and celery. Slice cabbage, tomatoes and green beans in fairly large pieces. Add to soup and bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

Twenty minutes before serving, add drained kidney beans and macaroni. Bring to a boil and simmer until macaroni is tender.

Just before serving, add the parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over individual servings.

Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I love recipes like this. I call it the “clean out the fridge and pantry” soup and substitute veggies, meat, pasta and beans depending on what’s hanging around. Makes for a different surprise every time we eat it!

Content and images used with permission by Caitlin Press. https://caitlinpress.com/Books/F/Finding-Heartstone