italian minestrone

Put navy beans in a bowl, cover with boiling water & allow to rest for 1 hour. Drain beans. Heat olive oil in an 8 to 10 quart pan. Add onion & garlic & cook over moderate heat until golden. Add drained beans & broth, cover pan & simmer for about an hour, or until beans are tender. Add a few tablespoons of the hot broth to the tomato paste in a small bowl, stirring until the paste has dissolved, then add the mixture to the pot along with the cabbage, tomatoes, herbs, salt & pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the carrots & vermicelli & simmer another 15 minutes. Check the seasoning.

Adjust if you think it needs more of the herbs or S & P. Add zucchini & simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately & pass the Parmesan Please! NOTES : Nutritional Analysis per serving: 215 calories, 11 grams fat, 19 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams protein, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 844 milligrams sodium, 48 percent of calories from fat.

Recipe by: Good Old Food by Irena Chalmers, Barron's, 1988 Posted to recipelu-digest Volume 01 Number 588 by "Christopher E. Eaves" on Jan 23, 1998