Herman's Summer Minestrone

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb shelled fresh cranberry beans
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb fresh tomato, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 small red onions, sliced
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb yellow squash, cut into half moons
• 1/2 lb zucchini, cut into half moons
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh italian parsley, 1 generous handful
• 1/4 lb pasta, any small shape (ditalini, elbows, shells, orchiette, etc)
• 1 parmesan rind
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, to taste

Recipe

• 1 put the onion, chopped parsley and a little olive oil in a stock pot and sauté gently for just a few minutes.
• 2 add the stock, the cranberry beans, the tomatoes and the parmesan rind. bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the beans are tender. skim off any foam that might rise to the surface.
• 3 add the green beans, the yellow squash, the zucchini and the pasta and return to a boil. reduce the heat and simmer until the pasta is cooked and the green beans tender. season with salt and pepper.
• 4 serve and top with a generous spoon of pesto, a drizzle of olive oil, some grinds of black pepper and the grated cheese on the side.
• 5 aliza green, whose recipe served as the basis for this one, serves her summer minestrone with zucchini blossoms stirred in just before serving – if you have them, do it! borage is also a traditional flavouring.
• 6 leeks, mushrooms, celery, carrots, potatoes, eggplant, fava beans and greens are all to be found in other minestrone recipes, so substitute in vegetables as you like.