Name: Green minestrone
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 60 gram pancetta, coarsely chopped; 2 clove garlic, large, coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large red onion, halved and sliced; 1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced; 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2cm cubes; 1/4 cauliflower, cut into florettes; 375 gram potatoes, such as desiree, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes.; 2 400g cans chickpeas, drained and well rinsed; 1 cup 1/2cm cubes silverbeet stems, plus 2 cups sliced silverbeet leaves (about 6-8 large leaves plus stems); 1 parmesan rind (optional); 1/2 lemon; 8 cup (2 litre) water; Almond pesto; 1/4 cup blanched almonds; 2 cloves garlic, flattened with a knife; 1/4 cup (25g) grated parmesan; 2 cup mixed parsley and basil leaves; 1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Green minestrone

Serves 8

Prep

30M

Cook

45M

Total

1H 15M

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Ingredients

60 gram pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 clove garlic, large, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, halved and sliced

1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2cm cubes

1/4 cauliflower, cut into florettes

375 gram potatoes, such as desiree, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes.

2 400g cans chickpeas, drained and well rinsed

1 cup 1/2cm cubes silverbeet stems, plus 2 cups sliced silverbeet leaves (about 6-8 large leaves plus stems)

1 parmesan rind (optional)

1/2 lemon

8 cup (2 litre) water

Almond pesto

1/4 cup blanched almonds

2 cloves garlic, flattened with a knife

1/4 cup (25g) grated parmesan

2 cup mixed parsley and basil leaves

1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

1.Combine pancetta, garlic and parsley in a small processor and pulse until finely chopped. Place oil and pancetta mixture in a frypan, add onion and saute until onion is soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

2.Add remaining ingredients except silverbeet leaves and season with salt. Mix well, then bring to a boil and simmer over moderately low heat for 30 minutes. Add silverbeet leaves and simmer a further 5 minutes. Check seasoning.

3.Meanwhile, to make pesto, toast almonds lightly in a small frypan over moderate heat, shaking pan frequently, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

4.Allow to cool, then place almonds, garlic and parmesan in a processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add basil and pulse until minced. With machine running, add oil in a steady stream and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and season with salt.

5.Serve soup in deep, heated bowls with pesto on the side.

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