Chef Demo: Minestrone & Wisconsin Cheddar and Broccoli Soup

Jonathon Thrasher is Sous to Chef Niehuss, executing the Minestrone &

Wisconsin Cheddar and Broccoli Soup recipes in Foundations II.

 

 

 

 

 

Minestrone

 The origin of minestrone soup is rooted in the Italian kitchen, and translated, means "big soup", derived from the word minestra, which means to "dish up" or "serve". By tradition, minestrone is a soup made with vegetables, stock and pasta or rice. It generally contains seasonal and regional  vegetables, and can maintain a vegetarian quality, often preferred for a first course, or meat and meat stocks can be added to complete a light main entrée. Minestrone is part of what Italians call "cucina povera", or "poor people's cuisine", as often the ingredients comprised "cortoni", or leftovers and scraps, from previously prepared dishes.

There are as infinite variations on minestrone soup as the number of cooks that have prepared them, again, dependent on the preferred ingredients used and their cost and abundance for a particular area or time of year. In Genoa and the Tuscan region of Italy, for example, basil grows plentifully most of the year, so adding fresh basil leaves or basil pesto to the minestrone is very common. In Sardinia, chickpeas, or more familiarly garbanzo beans, are a mainstay in the Mediterranean diet, and so Minestrone di Ceci, is a pasta and vegetable minestrone with the addition of these legumes for a heartier soup.

 

Ingredients

(1/4 recipe from Culinary Foundations, Wayne Gisslen)

1 fl. ounce olive oil

1/4 lb. sliced thin

2 ounces celery, small dice

2 ounces carrots, small dice

1/2 tsp. garlic, chopped

2 ounces green cabbage, finely shredded

2 ounces zucchini, medium dice

1/4 lb. canned tomatoes, crushed

1 1/4 quarts white stock (chicken or veal)

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1 1/2 oz. small macaroni (such as ditalini)

6 ounces drained, canned cannellini or other white beans

1/16 cup chopped parsley (to finish)

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated, as needed (to finish)

 

Preparation

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Sweat them in the oil until almost tender. Do not brown. Add the cabbage and zucchini. Stir to mix the vegetables. Continue to sweat another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables are almost cooked. (Do not overcook. The soup will continue to cook when the pasta is added.) Add the pasta and continue to simmer the soup until the pasta is cooked. (Alternatively, cook pasta separately and add to the soup just before serving.) Add the beans and return soup to a boil. Add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before service, top with the parmesan cheese, or serve cheese separately.

 

Yields: Approximately 4 (12 ounce) servings

 

Chef's Notes: To develop more flavor and complexity in this dish, add in small meatballs to the soup, uncooked, and saute along with the onion, celery and carrot mirepoix. This take on minestrone is more commonly known as Italian Wedding Soup, as the flavors of the meat and vegetables "marry" together. If one prefers a completely vegetarian option, on the other hand, simply substitute vegetable stock (mushroom stock preferred for additional umami flavor) in lieu of chicken or veal stock.

 

 

Wisconsin Cheddar and Broccoli Soup

  Although this hearty cream soup is delicious anytime of the year, it works out perfectly in the Northwest, that as the fall season approaches and the weather cools come September and October, it is ideal that the seasonal availability of broccoli is at its height. Served with a few crostini and a small salad for lunch, or in a rustic bread bowl for a substantial dinner, this soup will surely delight you, your family and guests alike.

Ingredients

(1/3 recipe from Culinary Foundations, Wayne Gisslen)

1/6 pound butter

2 ounces onion, chopped fine

1 1/3 ounce celery, chopped fine

1/6 pound, broccoli stems, small to medium dice

1 1/3 ounces mushrooms, chopped

3 Tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken or veal stock (white stock)

1/3 pint milk, hot

4 ounces broccoli florets, quickly boiled to desired tenderness

1/3 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 1/2 to 3 ounces of heavy cream, hot

Salt, to taste

White pepper, to taste

 

Preparation

Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Add the onion , celery, broccoli stems, and mushrooms. Sweat the vegetables without letting them brown. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook the roux a few minutes, but do not let it start to brown.

Gradually beat in the stock. Bring to a boil, stirring with a whip, as it thickens. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender. Skim the soup carefully. Pass the soup through a food mill to puree it. Pass the soup through a chinois or fine strainer.

Add the hot milk to the soup. Heat the soup again, but do not let it boil. Separate the broccoli florets into pieces small enough to be eaten with a soup spoon. Add them to the soup. If the soup is to be served at once, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, cool in a cold-water bath and refrigerate until service time. Reheat soup to a simmer when ready to finish.

Add the cheese to the soup and stir until entirely melted. Carefully reheat the soup, but do not let it boil, or else the cheese may curdle or separate. Stir in the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

 

Yields: Approximately 2-4 servings (4 cups)

 

Chef's Notes: If a Vitamix, or similar strong blender is on hand, opt for this alternative to the use of a food mill; pureeing the soup on high until all ingredients are blended smoothly. Then, pass the soup through a chinois or fine strainer for an ideal consistency before adding the milk and final ingredients.