Minestrone is a traditional delicious, rich Italian vegetable soup. There is no clear recipe for its preparation; in each region it is prepared in different ways. Somewhere put rice, somewhere pasta orso (in the form of rice), somewhere - a special kind of wheat. Vegetables in it are put, so to say "on a season". But there are mandatory cooking rules, without which the minestrone will turn into a simple soup.
So:
- The basis of soup are vegetables, a lot of vegetables.
- Before you can season the vegetables, you need to fry a little in the bacon oil to give the oil a special taste.
- In the soup must certainly be present legumes: lentils, beans, peas ...
- Bullion should not be much, because this is a thick soup.
- Roasting vegetables takes place over low heat.
To understand the most important principles of cooking menstron, consider a few basic recipes.
The classic recipe for Italian soup minestrone with lentils
Ingredients:
- bacon - 150 g;
- lentils - 150 g;
- pasta in the form of rice (or any small) - 4 tbsp. spoons;
- Dried mushrooms - 3 pieces;
- potatoes - 2 pieces;
- onions - 1 head;
- leeks (light part) - 1 piece;
- celery - 3 stems;
- tomatoes - 3 pcs .;
- carrots - 3 pieces;
- string beans - 150 g;
- olive oil - 3 tbsp. spoons;
- garlic - 3 teeth;
- zucchini squash - 1 pc .;
- cabbage brussels or broccoli - 100 g;
- pesto sauce ;
- salt, basil, dried paprika, pepper.
Preparation
The first thing we do is to cook vegetable broth. To do this in a small amount of water we put whole onions, potatoes, one carrot and dried mushrooms. We need a little water, we need a concentrated broth.
Slice the bacon lightly fried in olive oil in a saucepan with a thick bottom. We chop the leeks with rings, chop the garlic and add them to the bacon. While onions and garlic are tossed, carrots, celery, tomatoes and zucchini are cut into cubes. Brussels sprouts cut in half, and broccoli is sorted into small inflorescences.
Now in the pan, where the onions and garlic are already roasted we send carrots, celery, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, continue to brown. The last in the vegetables add zucchini, string beans and tomatoes (preferably peeled off), tk. they are the most gentle. A little more stew and pour strained vegetable broth. One boiled potato from the broth kneaded with a fork and also added to the soup, it will give richness. Also, we send vegetables, pasta, lentils, a good pinch of paprika, a little pepper and salt. Cook on low heat until the paste is ready.
When serving in a plate, add a little pesto sauce and decorate with a branch of green basil.
Recipe for vegetable soup minestrone with chicken
Ingredients:
- bacon - 100 g;
- carrots - 2 pieces;
- white canned beans - 400 g;
- celery - 2 stems;
- chicken fillet - 1 piece;
- vegetable broth - 1 l;
- potatoes - 2 pieces;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- onions - 1 head;
- peas green fresh or frozen - 150 g;
- Parmesan - 100 g;
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc .;
- paprika dried - 2 tsp.
- tomato paste or sauce - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- salt, olive oil.
Preparation
Heat the frying pan with butter and fry the bacon there, add chopped onions and garlic. Cut the fillet into slices and send it there. Diced carrots, potatoes, celery and Bulgarian peppers are added a little later when the chicken is lightly fried. When vegetables salvorsuyutsya, pour them into a pot of broth and the same we add tomato sauce, paprika, salt, peas and beans. Stir and cook on low heat for another five minutes. When serving, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and you can also serve small toasts with soup.