Autumn Minestrone

by Liz Child

This humble half-soup, half-stew (stoup?) is so delicious. One of those perfect easy, one pot, mid-week meals that soothes and satisfies. Smooth, blended soups are great but this Autumnal twist on a minestrone is all about the combination of textures. Crunchy, delicate cabbage, floury, hearty beans, nutty, sticky brown rice (or swap with pasta) and melt-in-the-mouth pumpkin, all suspended in a silky broth.

All the ingredients can be delivered by us to your door. We have an abundance of autumn vegetables coming out of our fields at the moment. Why not cook up a few batches of this soup and freeze for a rainy day?

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small leek, rinsed & chopped
  • 250g kuri squash pumpkin, diced
  • 250g celeriac (or celery), diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme (or herbs of your choice)
  • 1 tbsp dried mushrooms, chopped
  • 100g short grain brown rice (or 200g pasta)
  • 2 x 400g tins of white beans
  • 1/2 a Savoy cabbage, rinsed & sliced
  • 1/2 a lemon, juiced (or 1 tbsp vinegar)
  • salt & black pepper to taste
  • pesto/cheese/olive oil/pepper to serve

Method

  1. In a large pot, sauté the leek, pumpkin and celeriac/celery with the olive oil until the vegetables start to soften.
  2. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves, season generously with salt and pepper and stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Then add the dried mushrooms, rice (or pasta) and cover with a litre and a half of water. Stir briefly then put the lid on and simmer until the rice (or pasta) is cooked through.
  4. Add the beans along with their starchy cooking liquid, and the chopped savoy. Brighten with the lemon juice (or vinegar) and add another litre or so of water so you reach the consistency you prefer.
  5. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Reheat to wilt the cabbage and serve.
  6. This is delicious as it is or give it a little lift with a drizzle of good olive oil or pesto over each bowl. For added richness and flavour add grated cheese (or a sprinkle of cheesy nutritional yeast flakes if you want to keep it dairy free).