Here it is — the day before Holy Week begins, and as a church musician, I am swamped, but loving every minute of the season. Even though we aren’t getting a blizzard – and all the snow/ice is gone – it’s still a perfect day for SOUP!
Sitting in front of the crackling fire with a huge bowl of this soup is the perfect way to spend a chilly early spring evening.
So, even though I’ve never been to Italy – it’s on my sooner-rather-than-later-bucket-list – I’ve learned a couple things about Tuscan cooking. It’s basically peasant food that’s rich, hearty, and loaded with vegetables and beans. One thing that that mystifies me about traditional Tuscan cooks is that they seldom include both onion and garlic in the same dish. There’s one or the other, certainly, but not together. Since I think that is tragic (and I have a somewhat rebellious personality), I included both.
Fennel is one of the main vegetables in this soup. Supermarkets often confuse fennel and anise. They are not the same, but if you find a bulbous vegetable with stalks and frothy, dill-looking fronds, it’s most likely fennel. The flavour is midway between celery and licorice, but don’t worry. Your soup will not taste like black jelly beans!
The slow cooker (crockpot) is a fantastic friend on frenetic days. Throw ingredients in, let it cook all day, then wrap it up just before serving. Easy. Healthy. And oh, so tasty!
Put the onion, fennel, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, and broth into the slow cooker, then add all the dry herbs and spices and give it a good stir. Cover it up and cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 10-12 hours – whatever fits your schedule best.
An hour before serving, add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, and parmesan rinds, if you have them. If you plan on using kale, this would be a good time to add it. (I don’t happen to like wilty greens, so I stir in spinach as I ladle the soup into bowl. Childish, I know.) Cover and continue cooking while you relax for a few minutes.
To serve, top with grated parmesan cheese and reserved fennel fronds.
PrintTuscan Fennel Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 large fennel bulb, cored and diced, reserving some fronds for garnish
- 8 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp chili pepper flakes
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 2 14 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- Parmesan rinds, optional
- Fresh spinach, or kale (ribs removed)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Put onion, fennel, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, and broth into slow cooker, then stir in all the dried spices and herbs. Cover and cook for 10-12 hours on low, or 5-6 hours on high.
- About one hour before serving, add the beans and kale (if using). If you have parmesan rinds, add them at this time. Cover and continue cooking.
- My preference is to add fresh spinach just as serving, so the greens don’t get too wilty. Top with parmesan cheese and reserved fennel fronds.
