Minestrone soothes soul as weather chills

(Fresh borlotto beans are delicious in minestrone soup)

Frosty mornings mean snuggling for a few extra minutes under the down comforter.
When the air is brisk, it also means it's time for a nice big pot of soup simmering on the stove.
So toss off that comforter and break out the soup pot, because October is a perfect month to start making soups again.

The first soup that came to mind for me when the weather turned cold was Minestrone.
Who doesn't love a big bowl of minestrone, topped with a sprinkling of cheese and served with a crusty piece of Italian bread for dunking?

I made a pot of this traditional Italian soup before the deep frost hit my garden. I had just picked my borlotto beans, which are the bean to use in either minestrone, pasta fagiola or anything else that calls for a succulent white bean. They are not only delicious and nutritious, but they are beauties to grow. Their plump outer shells are streaked with cranberry and green, and when you shell them, out pops meaty white beans, speckled in rose — truly a bean to behold!
Franchi seeds, as you probably know, are my favorite seeds to grow. The varieties are outstanding and you get so many seeds for your money. I had saved these seeds from last year (yay, for heirlooms!) and planted them in the garden in early August for a third planting of beans. They were one of the last veggies I picked before the frost, which made me appreciate them even more.

(Plump and succulent, borlotto beans are tasty peasant fare)

I can remember my mother making minestrone on cool fall days. She always used her reserved end pieces of Parmesan or Romano cheeses to throw in toward the end to give the soup more sustenance and flavor. I save my end pieces of cheese with mom in mind, and for that big batch of soup that will be all the better for squirreling away those little pieces of cheese.

Minestrone is a perfect recipe to use up little pieces of vegetables you have tucked away in the fridge, those quarter-boxes of tiny pasta shapes you don't know what to do with and that lone can of plum tomatoes sitting on the shelf.

And if you have fresh borlotto beans, by all means, toss them into the pot as it comes to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer. If you don't have fresh beans, a can of cannelli beans or chickpeas will do just fine.
There is no strict recipe for making minestrone; just start with a base of olive oil, garlic and onions and add whatever else you want to that. Break out the big sauce pot because you'll want to freeze some small containers of this wonderful soup for a quick, satisfying meal later in the season.

(Beans this beautiful have to be good for you! Borlotto beans are simply sublime)

Minestrone Soup

1. In about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, saute 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
2. Add 1 large onion, chopped; allow that to sweat a bit
3. Add 2 stalks of celery, chopped
4. 2 large carrots, chopped
5. 1 potato, diced small

• Let the veggies simmer for a bit, then add a handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped.
• Add one large can of crushed tomatoes, and let the mixture come up to a good simmer.
• Add about a quart of vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a quick boil.
• Toss in about 2 cups of freshly shelled borlotto beans or a small can of cannelli or chickpeas that has been drained and well rinsed.
• Let it cook a bit on high, then lower the heat and let it all meld together for about 20 minutes.
• Toss in an end piece of Parmesan or Romano.

Give it all a good stir and step away from the stove!

• Take a look at how beautiful it is and then step back up to the pot and toss in some seasonings: salt and pepper, some freshly minced thyme, a pinch of oregano, etc.
  
• Bring the soup back up to a near boil and toss in a handful (a little less than 1 cup) of small pasta such as tubettini or tiny shells or alphabets, whatever has been sitting in the cupboard for a while. Stir and let the soup simmer on high for a few more minutes.
• Lower the heat and let it simmer for another 20 minutes or so. Taste, and correct the seasonings if need be. If it looks too thick, add some more broth or plain water.

Serve the minestrone in a big bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkling of cheese, a dash of crushed red pepper and a big piece of crusty Italian bread for a meal that will soothe the soul.

Bella!