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Minestrone, Peasants

Source of Recipe

Linda K. Leone..10/10/2006


Recipe Introduction

I usually use rib bones that were barbequed, or cooked in lots of garlic, as this imparts flavor to the soup. If you can't find Jacobs cattle beans, use black eyed peas. Use any mushrooms you desire, and any greens such as kale, collards etc.. If you like it hot use mustard greens, with the chard stems. (some stems are too tough to use). I always save my chard stems, they keep up to a week in the fridge, and if blanched can be frozen.

List of Ingredients

1/2 C Jacobs Cattle beans
8-10 precooked beef rib bones with some meat
4 shakes crushed red pepper flakes
6-8 maitake mushrooms, dried
2 bay leaves
water enough to cover bones
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic
2 large cabbage leaves
2-3 Swiss chard leaves
2 dozen Swiss chard stems
2 C diced tomatoes
1 C cooked green beans, in 1 inch lengths
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 C cubed potatoes
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 C meat from the ribs
1/2 C cooked rice
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1 C peas, fresh or frozen
salt
pepper




Recipe

Boil the rib bones until the meat falls from the bones. remove the large pieces of meat to a bowl to cool. Scrape the rest of the meat from the bones and add back to the pot.
Add beans and chopped or broken up dried mushrooms and pepper flakes. Cook until beans are half done. Cut cabbage and chard leaves into about 1/2 inch squares. Slice the chard stems, and slice and chop rest of vegetables and garlic. Add to the soup. Add rice and seasonings and spices. Add the meat removed from bones, (cut in bite size pieces or shredded).
Serve with lots of crusty garlic bread.
This soup freezes well.