With all the rain and cold we’ve had lately, I’ve definitely been in the mood for soups. I’ve also been canning and freezing them for Christmas gifts, which adds significantly to the soup-creation workload. Today I made a soup that my mother sent me the recipe for, that neither of us had ever tried. It’s absolutely fantastic, chock full of vegetables, and very similar to minestrone. A friend described it as “minestrone, but better.”
You start by cooking a bit of pancetta (I used bacon), and then adding olive oil (or in my case draining off some of the fat).
Add some onions, carrots, celery, and any extra vegetables you want to throw in. I added a cucumber, because I had one laying around and it sounded good. Saute until soft, 8-10 minutes, then add some garlic, salt, and pepper.
Cooking Madly 