This healthy Minestrone tastes equally delicious in summer and winter. Inspired by diet of the longest-living residents of Sardinia, this soup is wholesome, full of hearty vegetables and easy to make.
– ▢1 stalk celery, chopped – ▢1 leek – ▢1 fennel – ▢2 medium carrots chopped – ▢1 can (15 oz) chickpeas – ▢½ can (8 oz) Pinto beans – ▢3 medium potatoes – ▢3 cloves garlic – ▢1 sprig rosemary – ▢3 tablespoon tomato paste – ▢½ c Israeli couscous – ▢7 c vegetable broth – ▢1 tablespoon olive oil – ▢2 teaspoon salt – ▢¼ teaspoon pepper – ▢4 tablespoon parsley
1. Slice off the leek's dark green end. Then thinly slice the remaining pale green part of leek into rings and discard the root end. 2. Trim off the fennel stalks and the root end. Cut fennel bulb in half and discard tough outer layers. Slice the remaining fennel crosswise.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot and over medium heat. Add leek, celery, carrots and ½ teaspoon of salt and and sauté for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are soft.
4. Stir in garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds. Add in fennel, potatoes, both types of beans, rosemary.
5. Dilute tomato paste in 1 cup of broth and add it into a pot. 6. Add 6 cups of broth, salt, pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 7. Stir in couscous and cook soup for 10 more minutes or until couscous is soft.
8. Adjust the seasoning, turn off the heat and serve Minestrone with the sprinkling of parsley.