The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (41 page)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We wanted a minestrone with fresh, bright flavors that didn’t have to rely on market-fresh vegetables like the best Italian versions. First, we needed a manageable list of supermarket vegetables for our base, and we settled on onions, celery, and carrots, along with cabbage, zucchini, and tomato. Slowly layering flavors to create complexity was key. We started by sautéing pancetta, then browned the vegetables in the rendered fat. Salt-soaking dried beans (chosen over canned for superior texture) seasoned them throughout, and simmering them vigorously in the soup base helped them release starch and thicken the soup. A diced supermarket tomato did nothing for the taste of our soup, so we turned to V8 juice, which ensured consistent tomato flavor. Adding a Parmesan rind to the soup infused it with cheesy flavor. And finally, we took a cue from the minestrone of northern Italy and finished the soup with a deconstructed pesto, adding chopped basil, a swirl of fruity olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan.

SERVES 6 TO 8

If you are pressed for time you can “quick salt soak” your beans. In step 1, combine the salt, water, and beans in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans and proceed with the recipe. We prefer cannellini beans, but navy or great Northern beans can be used. We prefer pancetta, but bacon can be used. To make this soup vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and 2 teaspoons olive oil for the pancetta. Parmesan rind is added for flavor, but can be replaced with a 2-inch chunk of the cheese. In order for the starch from the beans to thicken the soup, it is important to maintain a vigorous simmer in step 3.

1.
Dissolve 1¹⁄
₂
tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain beans and rinse well.

2.
Heat pancetta and oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 3 to 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot, onions, and zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5 to 9 minutes. Stir in garlic, cabbage, ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, and pepper flakes and continue to cook until cabbage starts to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

3.
Add soaked beans, water, broth, Parmesan rind, and bay leaf to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until beans are fully tender and liquid begins to thicken, 45 to 60 minutes.

4.
Add reserved vegetables and V8 juice to pot and cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf and Parmesan rind, stir in chopped basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with oil and grated Parmesan. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat it gently and add basil just before serving.)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We wanted a spoon-coating, richly flavorful broth studded with tender shreds of sweet-smoky meat, all without requiring the old-fashioned ham bone traditionally used to infuse the soup with flavor. Substituting ham hock made the soup greasy and was skimpy on the meat. Ham steak, however, was plenty meaty and infused the soup with a fuller pork flavor. Without the bone, our soup needed richness and smokiness, and adding a few strips of raw bacon to the pot did the job. Unsoaked peas broke down just as well as soaked and were better at absorbing the flavor of the soup.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Four ounces of regular sliced bacon can be used, but the thinner slices are a little harder to remove from the soup. Depending on the age and brand of split peas, the consistency of the soup may vary slightly. If the soup is too thin at the end of step 3, increase the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached. If it is too thick, thin it with a little water. In addition to sprinkling the soup with the Butter Croutons, we also like to garnish it with fresh peas, chopped mint, and a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

1.
Heat butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme, and bay leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer, stirring frequently to keep peas from sticking to bottom. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.

2.
Remove ham steak, cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to prevent drying out, and set aside. Stir in carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.

3.
When cool enough to handle, shred ham into small bite-size pieces. Remove and discard thyme, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Stir ham back into soup and return to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If necessary, thin it with water when reheating.)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We wanted a lentil soup that would give us a brightly colored and flavored soup that was hearty but not too thick, with a subtle, smoky depth from meat. We sweated the lentils in a covered pan with aromatics and bacon before adding the liquid, which helped them hold their shape and boosted their flavor. Pureeing only some of the soup ensured the final result had appealing texture that was not overly smooth. Finishing with a splash of balsamic vinegar brightened the dish.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Lentilles du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains. Before use, rinse and then carefully sort through the lentils to remove small stones and pebbles.

1.
Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lentils and salt and season with pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes.

2.
Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer. Add chicken broth and water, bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes.

3.
Remove bay leaf from pot and discard. Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot. Stir in vinegar and heat soup over medium-low heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with remaining parsley.

MAKE-AHEAD:
After adding vinegar in step 3, refrigerate soup in airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low heat until hot, then stir in the parsley.

Replace parsley with 5 ounces baby spinach and continue to heat soup in step 3, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon cayenne along with garlic. Substitute lemon juice for balsamic vinegar and minced cilantro for parsley.