This cosy and comforting minestrone soup is the perfect dish on those chillier days. The Irish twist on this classic Italian recipe is the nettle pesto. Of course, regular basil pesto works wonderfully too. Top with Parmesan shavings and serve.
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Avoca Irish minestrone
Ingredients
(serves six )
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
6 bacon rashers (fat trimmed and discarded ), chopped
1 medium onion, diced
3 small carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
½ large leek, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 medium potatoes, diced
1.2 litres low-sodium vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
250ml tomato passata
80g macaroni pasta
60g of kale or cavolo nero, leaves stripped from the inner ribs and chopped
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
For the wild nettle pesto
100g wild nettles
100g fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
200ml rapeseed oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
First make the pesto. Use thick gloves to pick the nettles, then wash them thoroughly (a salad spinner would work well here ).
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add the nettles and blanch for two or three minutes. This will get rid of the formic acid and remove their sting.
Drain in a colander, then squeeze out all the water (remember, they should be safe to handle now that the sting has been cooked out of them ).
Put the blanched nettles in a food processor with the parsley, garlic, Parmesan, and pine nuts.
With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times with a spatula. You want the pesto to be quite thick.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the minestrone, melt the butter and oil together in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat.
Add the bacon and fry for three or four minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat.
Lower the heat to medium, then add the onion, carrots, celery, and leek.
Cook for 10 minutes, until softened, then add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for one or two minutes more.
Add the bacon back in along with the potatoes, stock, bay leaves, and thyme.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly cooked.
Stir in the passata, macaroni, and kale (though if you’re planning on cooking this ahead of time, cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup when you are reheating it ).
Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the basil.
To serve, divide the minestrone into warmed bowls, top with a generous spoonful of the wild nettle pesto, and scatter over some extra grated Parmesan.
