Summer Minestrone
Minestrone doesn’t have to be a warm tomatoey mess enjoyed in cooler months. Here’s a simple recipe for a fresh summer minestrone using much of the wondrous vegetable bounty that comes with the late summer months.
When to eat
I recommend eating this dish from July to October.
Summer Minestrone
Minestrone doesn't have to be a warm tomatoey mess enjoyed in cooler months. Here's a simple recipe for a fresh summer minestrone using much of the wondrous vegetable bounty that comes with the late summer months.
This meal is around 90% less polluting than the average UK meal.
Eating this recipe will save around 2.65 KG CO2e per person.
That’s equivalent to the emissions produced driving 21.91 KM in a modern car.
How do I calculate this?Ingredients
- 1 Small Fennel (diced)
- 0.5 Small Onion (diced)
- 1 Carrot (diced)
- 1 Stick Celery (diced)
- 1 Clove Garlic (chopped)
- 1 Courgette (diced)
- 500 ml Vegetable Stock
- 50 g Peas (podded)
- 50 g Chard (shredded)
- 150 g Borlotti Beans
- 50 g Orzo
- 3 Stalks Basil (roughly chopped)
- 3 Stalks Parley (roughly chopped)
- 0.5 Lemon (zested)
Instructions
- Heat a good glug of olive oil to a large saucepan then add fennel, onion, carrot and celery, stirring to coat in the oil. Add a splash of water (about a tbsp), cover the pan with a lid and cook over a low heat for 10-12 minutes until the veg soften. Stir the veg occasionally to avoid them taking on too much colour).
- Next, add the garlic and cook with the lid off for 2-3 minutes before adding the courgette and the stock and orzo. Cover and let this summer for 5 minutes before adding the peas, chard and beans. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat zest in half a lemon, add the chopped basil and parsley and stir. Taste and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste along with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Serve warm with a side of crusty bread.