Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
50 g/2oz dried haricot or cannellini beans, soaked overnight
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 leeks, cut into rounds
3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 tablespoon chopped chives
125 g/4oz French beans, cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch pieces
125 g/4oz asparagus, cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch pieces
150 g/5oz shelled broad beans, defrosted if frozen, skinned
125 g/4 oz shelled peas, fresh or frozen
1 litre/1/3/4 pints Vegetable or Chicken Stock, or boiling water
75 g/3oz long-grain rice
175 g/6oz fresh spinach
salt and pepper
50 g/2oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated, to serve
Red pesto
2 garlic cloves, chopped
25 g/1oz basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts 8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
125 ml/4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil 25 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
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Minestrone Verde
To make the pesto, place the garlic, basil, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream until blended. Scrape into a bowl, stir in the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic, celery and leeks and cook gently for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add the tomatoes with half of the herbs, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 12-15 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the French beans, asparagus and fresh broad beans and peas, if using. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock or water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes. Add the rice, the cooked haricot or cannellini beans and their cooking liquid and the spinach (and the frozen broad beans and peas, if using) and cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste and stir in the remaining herbs. Serve each bowl of soup with a spoonful of pesto, and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
