Food & Drink

Kim Sunée: Revisiting that one-pot wonder, minestrone soup

When the big pots come out and I start making the first batches of hearty soups -- chock-full of vegetables and legumes -- it means autumn isn't far. As for which kinds of soups, Italian minestrone made with rice or pasta, beans and vegetables was never on my short list of favorites; the name recalled canned versions from school lunches or sloppy bowls served in Italian-esque restaurants that didn't stand a chance in New Orleans, where every family had a pot of long-simmered gumbo or red beans and rice at the ready.

But when I came back from Seattle last weekend with my usual haul from the market, I found myself with an abundance of speckled, fresh cranberry beans, also known as borlotti (the traditional bean used in minestrone), and purple, wax and green beans. I also had some gift bags of house-made pasta, offered to each departing diner at Ethan Stowell's La Tavolàta. I couldn't ignore it any longer; minestrone was calling my name.

As I was preparing the ingredients, I realized I had been making soups like this for years but never calling it minestrone. More than anything, the recipe is forgiving and lends itself to many variations. Don't have dried beans and are short on time? Use canned. Don't feel like pasta? Add rice or barley or waxy potatoes (they hold up better than starchy ones). If you have cabbage or zucchini, toss those in as well as or in place of the kale and green beans.

The main thing to keep in mind is the order in which you add the ingredients. Start with the vegetables and dried beans that require a longer cooking time, adding pasta and kale or canned beans toward the end. It's worth making a big pot as the soup just seems to get better sitting overnight in the refrigerator. Although not necessary, I always add a rind end of Parmesan cheese; they seem to gather in the back section of my cheese drawer waiting for an opportunity like this.

It's a wonderful lunch option or even substantial enough for dinner. Just add a green salad and some crusty bread and you've got a filling meal to carry you from these early fall days into the colder winter evenings. Although I will never give up my gumbos and Monday red beans, minestrone has definitely taken the lead when it comes to satisfying soups that both comfort and sustain.

Minestrone

This is a vegetarian version, but you could dice up some pancetta or bacon and sauté with the carrot, onion and celery for added depth of flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large carrots (about 1 cup diced)
1/2 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup diced)
2 stalks celery (about ½ cup diced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 pounds fresh cranberry (also known as borlotti) beans, shelled (about 4 cups) or 1 pound dried borlotti or cannellini beans (see note about canned beans)
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves (optional)
piece of rind of Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cups water, vegetable broth or chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh green beans and/or 1 large handful chopped fresh kale
1/2 cup small dried pasta, such as elbows, penne or stars
Optional garnishes: Grated Parmesan cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, hot chili flakes, fresh chopped basil leaves

NOTE: If using dried beans, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

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Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion and celery; stir and add salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Add cranberry/borlotti beans (if using canned beans, see note in step three), garlic, herbes de Provence and rosemary, Parmesan rind, if using, cinnamon and water. Bring to a boil, skim froth and discard; reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

If using dried beans, keep cooking until beans are tender but not falling apart (if you add tomatoes too soon, the acid will prevent the beans from cooking all the way). When beans are almost cooked through, add canned tomatoes, stir and cook another 15 minutes. Add fresh green beans/kale and pasta. NOTE: If using canned beans, rinse, drain and add along with the pasta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans and pasta are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and hot chili flakes, if desired.

Kim Sunée ate and lived in Europe for 10 years before working as a food editor for Southern Living magazine and Cottage Living magazine. Her writing has appeared in Food & Wine, The Oxford American and Asian American Poetry and Writing. She is currently based in Anchorage. Her most recent cookbook is "A Mouthful of Stars." For more food and travel, visit kimsunee.com.

Kim Sunée

Kim Sunée is a bestselling author ("Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home," "A Mouthful of Stars," "Everyday Korean: Fresh, Modern Recipes for Home Cooks") and a former magazine food editor. She's based in Anchorage. For more food and travel, visit instagram.com/kimsunee.

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