The warmth of a winter minestrone brings comfort as the seasons transition. Minestrone — vegetables, beans and pasta — shouldn’t be too strict and this recipe can be used as a guide. Cabbages become plentiful in cold weather and are celebrated in this dish, used first to flavor the soup, then whizzed into a pesto to spoon on top. Spinach can be swapped for chard, pasta for rice, black beans for chickpeas or other beans; just take account of any necessary adjustments to their cook times. This version uses black beans (as opposed to more traditional cannellini or borlotti beans) for their small size and rich flavor. They nestle nicely among the other vegetables without dominating the soup, adding wonderful nuttiness and depth alongside the cabbage.
Winter Minestrone with Cabbage Pesto
By Yotam Ottolenghi for New York Times Cooking
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 to 6 servings
½ cup plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 extra minced clove for the pesto
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- ½ savoy cabbage, cut into quarters, cored, then thinly sliced crosswise
- 2¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ½ cup orzo (or similar pasta)
- 5 cups baby spinach
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed under cold water
- 1 lightly packed cup fresh parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
Preparation
Step 1 – Add ½ cup olive oil, plus the celery, carrots, onion, rosemary, 1½ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of pepper to a large casserole pot or saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and slightly caramelized.
Step 2 – Add the 5 minced garlic cloves and stir for 2 minutes, just until slightly softened. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring regularly, until the tomatoes have started to break down.
Step 3 – Next add 4 cups of sliced cabbage and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until the cabbage has softened and is nicely coated in the sauce. Add the stock and 3¼ cups of water, stir to combine, then simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes.
Step 4 – Add the orzo and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 5 – Remove from the heat while the orzo still has a little bite, and stir in the spinach and black beans. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the orzo to finish cooking.
Step 6 – Meanwhile, make the pesto by pulsing the parsley and pine nuts with the remaining sliced cabbage, minced garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt in a food processor to form a coarse paste. Stir in the remaining ⅓ cup of oil and a good crack of pepper; transfer pesto to a small serving bowl.
Step 7 – Ladle the minestrone into individual bowls to serve, and top each with a spoonful of the cabbage pesto.
