Summer Minestrone
Instructions:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ½ red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2 small zucchini, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice
- ½ pound green beans, cut into ½-inch lengths
- 1 pound shelled fresh cranberry beans (1 cup shelled beans)
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 1 large ripe tomato, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
- ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ cup rice for risotto, such as Arborio
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its aroma, about 1 minute longer. Stir in the zucchini, green beans, and cranberry beans.
- Add the stock, 2 cups water, tomato, and thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Cook at a brisk simmer until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Drain the rice in a wire sieve and rinse under cold running water.
- When the vegetables are tender, stir the rice into the soup and cook for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool to room temperature. (The soup can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remove from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.) Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with the basil.