Mama's Minestrone

So maybe this recipe isn't a Jill Mason original, but when I eat minestrone soup, I think of my mom. Growing up there were a few of my mom's cooking creations I loved most (I'm surely omitting several here): her spinach lasagna, salmon cakes, creamy potato and leek soup, sauteed okra, tofu stir-fry and minestrone soup. Ok, to be completely truthful, I believe Mom more often made a simple vegetable soup, rather than minestrone – but she recently has been making this recipe. And change can be good.

I like enjoying the soup right off the stove, but also love eating it cold out of the fridge the following day(s). I plan to make the soup tomorrow and hope to post some (authentic) photos then... Reading through the recipe makes me think I may adjust the timing/order of when certain veggies are added after preparing it myself... Stay tuned!

Recipe from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food:

MINESTRONE

(Prepared as the Fall version with Kale & Butternut Squash)

Cook:

1 cup dried cannellini or borlotti beans (will have to post the how-to later)

This will yield 2 1/2 to 3 cups of cooked beans. Reserve the cooking liquid.

Heat in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat:

1/4 cup olive oil

Add:

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 finely chopped celery stalks

Cook for 15 minutes or until tender/rich golden brown. Add:

1 bunch kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped

1 small can of tomatoes (my mom adds more), drained and chopped

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped sage

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons salt

Cook for 5 minutes longer. Add, and bring to a boil:

3 cups water

When boiling, add:

1 small leek, diced

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

Continue cooking until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary.

Add the cooked beans, along with:

1 cup bean cooking liquid

Cook for 5 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more bean cooking liquid. Remove bay leaf.

Serve in bowls, each one garnished with:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon or more grated Parmesan cheese