Photo Courtesy | Bon Appetit | Jenn Segal’s Kale Minestrone with Pistou
Last Friday, we had a birthday celebration for me – yes, 29 again!
We had lots of leftover veggies, charcuterie and even some wine – not a lot. I scrolled through a few recipe sites and settled on a combination of a few. I love Giada DeLaurentiis’ cooking and Bonappetit.com.
I used Jenn Segal’s Bonappetit recipe but I wanted to use a chicken broth base as I prefer that to tomato. I followed the instructions and referred to Giada’s recipe when it came to adding the diced tomatoes instead of fresh.
Both of these recipes called for parmesan rind. When do you ever get to use that? I couldn’t resist and everything is better with parmesan.
I also noticed in my search that a few recipes called for chicken broth and the addition of white wine. The recommendation was Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. When I checked the fridge, I had some See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay so I used the rest of that (probably 1/2 – 3/4 of a cup).
I did not use pancetta as I wanted to use up a President’s Choice Antipasto Misto selection. It had prosciutto, copper di parma and genoa salami. I googled to see that prosciutto can be used as a substitution and I decided to use the rest rather than waste it. For chicken broth, I used the low sodium Superstore No Name Brand. It’s is $1.48!
I used sea salt instead of Kosher because it was handy in my salt mill. Kosher salt is nice and easy to pinch when you are cooking.
Kale Minestrone with Pistou
Published March 2015 | Bon Appetit | Jenn Segal
Ingredients:
3 sprigs oregano
3 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (I used 4-5 stalks)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained (I substituted diced as I didn’t want to squish them)
1 Parmesan rind (about 2 ounces; optional)
3 cups cooked cannellini beans, cooking liquid reserved if desired, or two 15-oz. cans, rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1⁄2” pieces (I substituted regular yukon gold cut 1/4″ pieces)
1⁄2 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 1” pieces
Pistou and assembly
2 garlic cloves1 cup fresh basil leaves 1⁄2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt
Recipe Preparation:
Tie oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine.
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add pancetta, if using, and cook, stirring often, until browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add onion, leek, carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and carrots are tender, 10–12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes.
Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then herb bundle, Parmesan rind, if using, and 6 cups water or reserved bean cooking liquid, or a combination. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded, 20–25 minutes. Add kale and beans; cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Discard Parmesan rind and herb bundle.
Do Ahead: Soup can be made 2 days ahead (or 2 months if frozen). Let cool; transfer to airtight containers and chill.
Pistou and assembly:
Pulse garlic and basil in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil, Parmesan, and lemon zest; season with salt. Serve soup topped with pistou.