Minestrone with crisped polenta rounds, Recipe Minestrone with crisped polenta rounds

Posted the 18/11/2008 22:14:01 By aggieskitchen (Visit website)

Recipe type : Starter

Number of serving : 8

Preparation time : 20 Minute(s)

Cook time : Minute(s)

Difficulty : Easy

Ingredients:

1 TB olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
2 - 3 carrots, chopped
small palm full dried oregano
small palm full dried thyme
small palm full dried basil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large zucchini, chopped
2 squash, chopped
2 cans Italian diced tomatoes with liquid
1 can water (swirl around tomato cans)
1 can red kidney beans with liquid
1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans with liquid
4 - 5 cups fresh spinach
Parmesan cheese
Polenta, sliced about 1/4" thick

Preparation:

In large soup pot, heat 1 TB olive oil over medium high. Add onion, garlic, and ground beef to pot and start to brown. Add carrots and continue to cook until beef is completely cooked through and carrots are starting to soften. Add spices. Add salt and pepper, continuing to add and taste as you go along.

Add chopped vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes, adding a little more salt and pepper to taste. Add tomatoes and beans and stir to combine. Bring to boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add spinach and stir so that it begins to wilt in the soup. Continue to cook for about 30 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

In small nonstick pan, add sliced polenta rounds. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides and cook for a few minutes on each side until slightly browned and crisp.

Serve soup with polenta rounds and Parmesan cheese.