Winter Minestrone with Farro
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Winter Minestrone with Farro is a delicious combination of seasonal vegetables in a rich tomato sauce flavoured with fennel.
Serves:6 people
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy based casserole dish or dutch oven
Ingredients
Winter Minestrone guidelines - the soffrito is essential - then experiment with local and seasonal options
- 2 medium carrots - one grated and one finely cubed
- 1 large onion - sliced very thinely
- 1 rib celery including plenty of leaves - finely sliced
- 30 g butter
- 1 med leek - sliced diagonally into biteable pieces
- 1 large fennel bulb - finely sliced
- 1 big handful parsley - roughly chopped, including stalks
- 1 large chunk of parmesan rind or prosciutto good quality Italian sausage
- 3 cloves garlic - smashed and roughly chopped
- ¾ tsp fennel seeds swap with oregano and rosemary - herbs de Provence or a bouquet garni
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/1½ litres water or stock of choice I used water as the soup produced enough flavour without needing a stock
- 1 tin plum tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 generous cup farro for a hungry crowd, go for 1½ cups
- 1 cup cooked black-eyed beans - or beans of choice
- 2 handfuls Escarole or winter greens of choice
- olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish
- 1 handful shaved parmesan for serving
- small handfull parsley - finely chopped for serving
Instructions
- Prepare all your vegetables. Keep separated so you can add individually.
- Start with the soffritto. In a generous amount of olive oil and butter, add the onion, celery (NOT leaves), bay leaves, red pepper flakes and grated carrot. Sweat until golden and soft.
- Add the fennel seeds, garlic, farro, diced carrot, a generous grating of black pepper, leek, fennel and tomato paste. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelise. Add the parsley, celery leaves, and tinned tomatoes. Set over low heat and add the parmesan rind, and 1.2 litres of water or stock.
- Add the black-eyed beans after about 30 minutes or when the vegetables and farro are soft. If necessary, add more water. If you are using winter greens, add them at this stage. Escarole is added at the last minute.
- Your soup should be ready after about 40-50 minutes. Test for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper. Five minutes before serving, add the escarole*—Stir well and cook until soft. You can cook the soup in the morning and then reheat it later. It is even better the next day.
- Serve the Minestrone piping hot so the parmesan shavings melt into the top of the soup. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
Alternatively, you can shred the escarole, put it in the base of each serving bowl, and pour the soup on top. It's perfect either way.
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