Winter Minestrone

I love wintertime. And I love all of the soups that come with this season. Since we are nearing the end of winter in Georgia, I really wanted to share this Italian classic with you. There are as many ways to make minestrone as there are cooks who make it, but this version was inspired by the one Food Network chef Giada de Laurentiis makes (with a few tweaks, of course). It is a very nice “comfort type” soup.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
* 2 celery stalks, chopped
* 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound Kale, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
* 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
* 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 fresh rosemary sprig
* 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
* 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
* Salt and Pepper
* Parmesan Cheese

Let’s get started by heating the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, pancetta and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for about 10 minutes. Add in the kale and potato and sauté for 2-5 minutes. I actually covered the pot at this point to help the greens wilt down. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig (I de-leafed mine first). Simmer until the greens are wilted - about 10 minutes.

While the greens are wilting down, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed mixture, remaining broth, remaining beans and a nice sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese to the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with some parsley, and most importantly, Enjoy!