A Soup For Summer, Green Minestrone


Summer produce is finally making an appearance here in Oregon. In addition to the weekly farmer's market, there are small stands with freshly picked cherries and other stone fruits along the coastal highway. Together with the fruits, there are bins full of zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, green beans and other assorted greens, jars of jam and loaves of zucchini bread ready for you to take home.


My own garden is starting to take hold and I currently have enough lettuce to feed a small army. The chard and the green onions are growing like mad but my kale and broccoli have been hijacked by a little shrew, (there really is such a thing, honest). And my herbs, the mainstay of any garden are gracing just about every meal I prepare.

The recipe today has been adapted from the June, Bon Appetit magazine. It is chock full of farm stand and garden veggies and topped with a spoonful of pesto, thin slices of red onion and shaved Parmesan cheese. Enjoy with a slice of fresh baked bread.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 green onions (thinly sliced)
1/2 bunch chard (thinly sliced)
1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
2 stalks celery (thinly sliced)
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 carrots (sliced lengthwise and then cut again)
1 medium zucchini (chopped small)
4-6 small green zebra tomatoes (sliced in half)
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup ditalini (pasta)
2 red small onions (thinly sliced)
Parmesan cheese (thinly shaved)

For pesto:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot (minced)
1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley (lightly packed)
1 small shallot (minced)


To prepare:

Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot and add green onion, chard, onion and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened about 5 minutes or so. Add broth, bring to a boil and then simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes. Add carrots, zucchini and tomatoes, simmer another 5 minutes until vegetables are just tender.

In the meantime, start a medium pan with boiling water to cook pasta, cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to soup pot. Add peas. Taste, then season with salt and pepper (I did not add much seasoning as the pesto and Parmesan cheese gave this soup a lot of flavor). Remove from heat, cover with lid, set aside.

Quickly put the pesto together, in a food processor; add parsley and olive oil, process until you have a coarse paste, add shallot, season with salt and pepper.


Serve soup topped with pesto, red onion slices and Parmesan.




Comments

  1. How blessed you are to have so much in abundance either in your garden or close by. You could even add some lettuce to this delicious milestone :)

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    1. Hi Tandy, you are so right, that would have been perfect!

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  2. A wonderful garden and lovely vegetable. This minestrone looks fantastic!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. I love the abundance in your garden and what you do with it! That minestrone is brilliant.

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  4. How delicious! I love that you've topped the soup with pesto and parmesan, and even better to know that you got some of the herbs and veggies from your garden! To me there is nothing nicer than knowing that you have grown something you are eating yourself. I can't wait to do this, even if I just grow a few herbs in some pots! If you see the shrew, try to take a photo - would love to see it (I bet it's too shy to show itself!)

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    1. Hi Helen, I will, Googled a picture of the shrew and they are really kind of cute. I enjoy working in the garden, it really relaxes me.

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  5. That is a beautiful soup I'd love to have any day, Cheri! Your garden looks wonderful. I can barely keep 3 herb plants alive so I admire you! Have a great July 4th weekend!

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    1. Thanks Monica, it is very rewarding, most of the time. Happy fourth to you!

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  6. I know taking care of a garden is a lot of work but wow so much fresh and organic produce ready for your kitchen. Your minestone and your fresh pesto on top looks so delicious and perfect for my summer cold.

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    1. Hi Bam, hope you feel better soon, summer colds can be tough. thanks for stopping by.

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  7. Your garden looks amazing Cheri and there's nothing quite like growing your own veggies. Congrats.
    I'd love to have a bowl of that minestrone any day!

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  8. You need to tame that shrew! Stealing your broccoli and kale, indeed! But can you really blame him - those are my favorite veggies, too. This is a beautiful soup to celebrate the start of summer.

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    1. Ha! your right Amy, I do need to tame the shrew, or at least get him to not eat my favorites.

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  9. Your garden is wonderful! The soup looks amazing and I hope you have a great 4th of July holiday :)

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  10. Your garden is mass producing lucky duck!
    I have shrews too:-(
    I am sure I would love this bountiful soup Cheri.

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    1. I keep filling in his little holes, but he is tenacious! Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. I wish I had a garden! AZ isn't friendly to the home garden, so no such luck.
    Your soup looks fabulous :)

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  12. So jealous of all the yummy things in your garden. This soup sounds perfect!

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  13. your garden produce looks wonderful happy eating.

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  14. Your chard looks lovely - that unmistakable red stalk is really something :)

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  15. I love this soup and even more so that everything is from your beautiful garden...

    ela h.
    Gray Apron

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    1. Thanks Ela, it is very satisfying enjoying food from the garden. Love it!

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  16. What a beautiful soup! Wish I could have some of that lettuce in exchange for some of my zucchini! I have shews as well...

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    1. Hi Mimi, thanks, do your shrews eat certain plants in your garden and completely leave the others alone?

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  17. You have a wonderful garden, Cheri. The soup must have tasted particularly fresh and delicious.
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Angie

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  18. I somehow missed this in June's Bon Appetit! Love how many veggies are stuffed into this bowl of soup!

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  19. This looks so flavorful and healthy! A wonderful summer soup!

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  20. Wow! Your garden is amazing!! It must be such hard work keeping a garden with so many veggies! My own attempts have failed pretty badly- the only thing I currently have in my garden are strawberries :(

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    1. Hi Von, oh I love strawberries, bet they are wonderful.

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  21. Having all this makes you go to the market less! You're sooo lucky with those freshies in the garden :)

    Julie
    Gourmet Getaways

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    1. Hi Julie, yes, your right, I do not go to the market as much, having fun!

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  22. Yum! I was just saying to Ma that I need to get back into making soup for lunch, this sounds great:@)

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    1. Hi Lynn, your right soup is the perfect lunch-time meal. Thanks for stopping by.

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  23. Oh my, this sounds wonderful! I love all those fabulous farm stands, looks like you found a great way to use the bounty! YUM!

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    1. Hi Chris, yes, right about now we have certain veggies coming out of our ears.

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  24. This soup looks amazing, I will be making this very shortly I am sure.
    I also wanted to say thank-you for your comments on my blog Mollydooker's Walz, not too tech savvy and just noticed how to read the comments and lo and behold you commented in April about the post on Ontario temperatures. My apologies for being so late in responding .

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  25. This sounds like a wonderful summer soup!

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  26. Oh my goodness, that is a beautiful bowl of nutritious goodness. I will make this soup, Cheri - it just has to be eaten! lol. Your garden is looking great and yes, I've seen shrews, too. I had one set up camp in my garage once - sneaky little things. I love this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

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    1. Hi Robyn, you know the little shrews are quite cute, just not in my garden, oh well. Thanks the soup was pretty good, just used what we had available.

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  27. Refreshing Soup:) love the color of the Soup

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  28. What a wonderful garden you have and your soup looks so tasty!
    Have a lovely day.
    :-) Mandy xo

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  29. Farmers' markets are my favorite too! Love your vegetable garden and the soup looks so delicious. :)

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  30. Your garden looks fantastic Cheri, can't wait to see what you all create from it :) And this minestrone sounds amazing, love the idea of it being a 'summer soup'

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    1. Hi Phi, I'm having fun this summer with my garden. Bet you are used to nice gardens where you live. Thanks!

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  31. What a delicious way to enjoy all of those wonderful vegetables! Reminds me of the French "Soupe au Pistou". There seems to be always be some intruder that makes gardening a challenge. For me this year, it's slugs and earwigs chewing up the leaves. Shrews!

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    1. Hi Susan, yes, it is always something, every year is different. Sometimes I feel like I'm one of those old cartoon characters battling the critters.

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  32. Ahhhhh! I LOVE SOUP IN THE SUMMER. So glad I'm not the only crazy lady eating hot stuff by the ladleful when the sun's ablazin'. This looks amazing!

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