Minestrone Soup

Total Time: 9 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 9 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 carrots, peeled and trimmed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 lb lean salt lamb (can be skipped for a vegetarian version)
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup beef stock (or use beef bouillion granilliars or 2 beef bouillion cubes)
• 1/4 cup dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups frozen peas
• salt
• 1/2 cup basil
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 in a food processor, chop finely one of the carrots, onions, celery, green pepper and garlic. transfer finely chopped vegetables to large pot.
• 2 add parsley, salt lamb, and 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. reduce to medium low and simmer covered for six hours (or use a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours).
• 3 with a slotted spoon, transfer salt lamb to a food processor and process until fat liquifies and meat turns into a paste (30 seconds).
• 4 put salt lamb through a sieve and back into pot (discarding solids).
• 5 skim off fat from broth and discard.
• 6 add tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock base (or bouillion), basil and oregano to pot. season with 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer over medium low heat for 2 more hours (or 4-6 hours in a crockpot).
• 7 add 4 cups water to pot, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. (if using a crockpot put on high to cook vegetables for 1-2 hours).
• 8 meanwhile slice remaining 2 carrots crosswise into rounds.
• 9 add carrots to pot along with green beans and peas. reduce heat to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes. season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 10 meanwhile make pesto by combining pesto ingredients (basil- oil) in a food processor and process until smooth. seaon to taste with salt and pepper.
• 11 spoon pesto into soup.
• 12 serve with grated spinkled parmesan and pecorino-romano cheese if desired.