eclaire (what’s in a) name?

i feel like i start most posts by professing my love for some type of food, and i’d like to start this one differently….actually, no, i don’t think i can begin without speaking of my love for minestrone soup. it’s one of the first soups i can recall eating, and it brings back memories of cozy rainy winter afternoons, steaming soup bowls, and crunchy sourdough toast that i ate alongside and dipped into the broth.

despite my profound love for minestrone, i’ve never made or eaten a homemade version, so when i saw a quick 30 minute version in vegetarian times last month, the ingredients went right onto my grocery list. since then, i’ve made this soup every week, enjoying the leftovers as much as (if not more than!) the first round of soup right off the stove.

while this soup isn’t a classic minestrone – the vegetables are still a bit crunchy, and there’s no lima beans (to me, the former is a plus, but the latter is a bit of a negative, as i love lima beans) – it’s decidedly delicious, savory, and hits the spot every time.

that’s not to say that i didn’t experiment with the recipe a bit, though, so below i’ll include the original, quick 30 minute instructions, as well as an optional addition of barley. the barley creates a heartier soup, but doubles the cooking time – so add the barley if you’re enjoying a leisurely evening at home, not if you want a speedy dinner. either way, you can’t go wrong with this savory soup!

one year ago: pesto pizza

minestrone soup

yields about 5 servings
adapted from vegetarian times

• 1T olive oil
• 1t dried basil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced into circles
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 8oz sun dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
• 15oz white beans, rinsed and drained
• 4c water
• 1c frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2T vinegar
• **optional – 1c barley and 2c water
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1. heat oil in large pan over medium heat
2. add basil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, sauteeing for 5 minutes
3. add sun dried tomatoes, and allow to saute for 5 more minutes
4. add beans and water , bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
5. (if you’re using barley, add it now, plus the extra 2c of water, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes instead of 10)
6. add peas, salt and pepper to taste, and allow to simmer for 5 more minutes
7. stir in vinegar and serve with toast and some slices of cheese, if desired