Curtis Stone’s Winter Vegetable Minestrone

I love a soup that you can pull together easily with ingredients you already have in the fridge. This minestrone is hearty, healthy and inexpensive to make. The bigger shavings of parmesan give a hint of saltiness in every bite.

Winter Vegetable Minestrone
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• ⅔ pound Coles Finest Angus beef sausages, casings removed, meat broken into large chunks
• 1 tablespoon Coles Brand olive oil
• 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Coles Brand fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1 centimeter pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1 centimeter pieces
• 2 cups Coles Brand chicken stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup Coles Brand shell pasta
• 1 cup Coles Brand canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup shaved Mil Lel parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat large heavy based saucepan over high heat.
2. Once hot, add sausage and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove from pan. Strain off any fat.
4. Add oil and onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion softens slightly.
5. Add garlic, fennel seeds, and rosemary, cook for 1 minute.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots and parsnips, and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Return sausage to pan.
8. Stir in the stock and water with wooden spoon, and bring to boil.
9. Swirl back of ladle over surface of soup, pushing any fat or foam to edges.
10. Add pasta and cook, stirring often, for about 9 minutes until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
11. Remove rosemary stem. Gently stir in beans and simmer for 2 minutes, until heated through.
12. Turn off heat and fold in spinach.
13. Divide soup evenly among four serving bowls and serve with parmesan cheese.

Recipe courtesy Curtis Stone.