Quick Minestrone Soup

Quick Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is an Italian soup which is low in calories and big on flavour. This simple, yet filling soup is an ideal meal for a cold winter’s night or simply a healthy snack or starter. This recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare and serves 3-4.

Ingredients:
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 150g can cannellini beans, drained
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small courgette, finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 50g spaghetti
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Seasoning
• Crusty bread

Method:

1. Start with heating your olive oil in a large saucepan.
2. Chop onions and add to the pan – Fry for about 5 minutes until its turns golden.
3. Add chopped courgette and celery and fry for a further 3 minutes.
4. Add the cannellini beans, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the spaghetti – Breaking the spaghetti into shorter pieces as you go.
6. Lightly simmer until spaghetti is Al Dente or done to your preferences.
7. Season to taste and serve with fresh bread.

Sausage and Mushroom Cassoulet

This classic French dish is simple to make and is an ideal winter warmer for the whole family to enjoy.
Can be slow cooked or prepared in advance. This recipe would be enough to serve about 4 people.

Ingredients:
350g/12oz sausages
110g/4oz chorizo
30g/1oz dried mushrooms
1 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh thyme
4 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
450g/1lb mixed mushrooms, sliced 400g/14oz can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400g/14oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g/14oz can flageolet beans, drained and rinsed
400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato purée
2 bay leaves
55g/2oz fresh white breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Place the sausages into a roasting tray and cook for 30 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and golden brown. Turn the sausages occasionally. When the sausages are cool enough to handle cut on the angle into 2.5cm/1in pieces. Save any fat in the pan. Cut the chorizo to similar sized pieces and fry gently.
3. Place the dried mushrooms into a food processor with the rosemary and thyme. Process as finely as you can. Using a large pan mix this powder with 570ml/1 pint of boiling water. Stir and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, add the oil to the pan with a lid and gently fry the onion and garlic for about 15 minutes until the onion has softened, but not coloured. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook over a high heat for about 3-4 minutes until they have started to colour.
5. Add the canned tomatoes and tomato purée to the mushroom stock, mix and then add the beans and the mushrooms and onions.
6. Mix well and bring to the boil. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the sausages and any saved fat from the roasting pan. Add the bay leaves and simmer gently on the top of the stove for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Cook until the liquid is reduced and clinging to the beans.
8. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and place under the grill or in the oven until golden. Alternatively it can also be cooked in the oven for 1 hour at the same temperature.