Mastering the Minutiae - Minestrone alla Genovese

Minestrone.  Is there any soup so quintessentially Italian?  I think not. Is there any soup that is more satisfying?  I think not.  Is there any soup so open to interpretation?  I think not.   WOW, that's a lot of "not" thinking.  :)

Minestrone is often misunderstood.  It's not so much an actual recipe as it is a STYLE of soup.  If you have ever watched Rachel Ray, you will be familiar with her "Stoup" concept.  Whether you choose to view it as a thick soup or a brothy stew... that pretty much describes Minestrone.  Thicker than soup but not quite a stew.  Which is why it seems to stick to your ribs so well in the cold winter months.

Though Minestrone is more of a "whatever you have lying around" kind of dish, there are still two main varieties.  Milan & Genoa.  Minestrone alla Milanese is what most Americans are familiar with, made popular by such brands as Progresso.  It typically contains at least a little meat, tomatoes and pasta, along with a plethora of other ingredients that are completely at the discretion of the chef.  There is, however, another manifestation of Minestrone that is my personal favorite; the meatless version from Genoa in northern Italy.

Not that I am a Vegetarian or Vegan, by any stretch of the imagination; I just find the combination of multiple greens, mushrooms, potato, pasta and white beans to be more to my liking.  Granted, if you so desired you could add tomatoes or any other various ingredients to the melee.  But there is ONE rule with Minestrone from Genoa... It must, Must, MUST be finished off with a couple hefty tablespoons of that ever so evocative of Genovese ingredients..... Pesto.

Minestrone alla Genovese

1 oz dried Porcini (this will be about 3 oz (85 g) after soaking)
8 cups Water, divided
3.5 oz (100g) Leek, sliced
4 oz (113g) Swiss Chard, chopped
4 oz (113g) Spinach, chopped
2 tsp Kosher Salt
10 oz (285g) Zucchini, peeled, quartered and sliced  (about 2 small)
8 oz (226g) Japanese Eggplant, peeled and cubed (about 2 small)
10 oz (285g) White Potato, diced (about 2 small)
2 TB Olive Oil
4  oz (113g) (1 cup) Ditalini or other small Pasta (I used Gemelli this time, cause it was in the cupboard)
12 oz (340g) (2 cups) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
2 -3 TB Pesto Genovese
optional - Pecorino Romano

Soak the Porcini in 2 cups of warm water for 30 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms and reserve the liquid.

Rinse the Porcini under cold running water to remove any grit.

Dry them with paper towels.

Chop them and set them aside.

Strain the liquid through cheese cloth or a coffee filter.

Pour the "Mushroom Stock" into a 6 quart Stock pot.

Add the remaining 6 cups of water to the pot along with the Kosher Salt and apply a medium flame.

Remove the stems from the chard, and chop the remaining leaves.

Chop the Spinach.

Slice the Leeks

Peel, quarter and slice the Zucchini.

Peel, and cube the Eggplant.

Dice the Potato.

Drain and rinse the Cannellini Beans

When the salted Porcini Water comes to a boil, add the Porcini, Leeks, Chard, Spinach, Zucchini, Eggplant and Potato.

Drizzle the whole thing with Olive oil.

Reduce the flame to low and simmer the soup for 1 hour, uncovered.

Add the Pasta and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Add the Cannellini Beans and simmer 5 minutes longer.

Just before serving, stir in the Pesto.

Adjust seasoning with Black Pepper and additional Kosher Salt if needed.
Serve as is, or with a sprinkle of freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

Mangia!!
~~

For Nuts Who Are Nuts About Nuts - Pesto di Panna Noci

Most Americans are familiar with Pesto Genovese these days. That delightful combination of Sweet Basil leaves, Garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and Pine Nuts with REALLY good olive oil. But there are many other Pesti (pastes made in a mortar and pestle) out there. Some made with Sundried Tomatoes, or Cilantro and Lime, even Stinging Nettle and Walnut.

But one of my favorites, that I don't really make often enough, come to think of it, is Walnut Milk Pesto. Then again, maybe this qualifies as a Sugo (sauce). Either way, if you are crazy about nuts and love "white" sauced pasta, I urge you to give this a whacky whirl. You won't be disappointed.

The milk tones down the tannic walnuts while the basil brightens the finish, it's rich and creamy without being heavy. My suggestion for this is always a nice Parmigiano-Reggiano stuffed Tortellini and a good Orvieto (lightly sweet white wine) though I have discovered that even a light (not White) Zinfandel is quite nice as well.

Pesto di Panna Noci

7 oz (199g) Walnuts (toasted)
2 oz (57g) Pine nuts
2 cloves Garlic
4 Basil Leaves
2 TB Panko
8 oz Whole Milk (that is about 250 ml) though you may need a little more.
3 TB Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Lay your walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes; until fragrant.

Allow them to cool before placing them in the food processor (normally I am an advocate for hand chopping pesto with a mezzaluna to create a more complex texture, but with the addition of the milk, this will just be to wet, so a food processor it is.)

Gently pulse the walnuts until they are broken into small pieces but not ground up yet. (you are trying to achieve the size of a pine nut)

Now add the pine Nuts, Garlic cloves, Basil Leaves, and Bread Crumbs.

Pulse this until it is nice and uniform in size.

Begin pouring the milk into the feeder tube, while pulsing the food processor.

Until the pesto has the consistency of partially beaten heavy cream. (or the thickness of a runny egg yolk)

Pour into a bowl and hit it with the olive oil, stirring it in, to combine.

Boil up some Parmigiano-Reggiano stuffed tortellini.

Chiffonade some Basil.

Place the tortellini in a bowl.

Spoon the Walnut deliciousness over the pasta.

Top with the Basil Chiffonade, and serve.



Mangia!!
~~

Foraging on the Forest Floor - Stinging Nettle Pesto

So I am going to let you in on a little secret, in case you have decided to go 'Pot Hunting' (Mushroom hunting) in the Columbia River Gorge.... It's still too early for morels, regardless of the warm weather we have been having.

Needless to say, after bumbling though the bountiful blackberry briar bushes, I came back shroom-less. BUT... Yes, that is a big "But". My forager's instincts had been awakened only to be unleashed upon the forest floor. So instead of shoving shrooms in my satchel, I nimbly nabbed numerous nettles, neatly nestling them in my knapsack.

I figured since Morel Risotto was out of the question, I would at least leave with one of my favorite foraged ingredients and make a Nettle Pesto, with which I would lavishly smother my Linguine. I chose Walnuts for this because pine nuts would not be "strong" enough to stand up the the flavor of the nettles. It was the same with the cheese. When I make Pesto, I use a mixture of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano, but nettles are more intense than basil, so the more pungent cheese is the choice. Grab that Pecorino Romano baby. Although I think Asiago might work just as well.....

I have dealt with handling Nettles in preparation for Ravioli di Ortica alla Pusteresi, as well as posting about Pesto Genoese, way,Way, WAY back; shortly after I started this blog. The process, by which I make pesto, is by hand, with a mezzaluna; but by all means, if you prefer the food processor then go for it. It's simply a personal preference. I like a more rustic multi-textured pesto, and this can only be achieved with a mezzaluna. A food processor will create a nice uniformly chopped pesto.

Pesto Suolo Forestale

(Forest Floor Pesto)

6 oz (160 g) Nettle tops
4 cloves Garlic (I used 5 cause 2 were very small)
Kosher Salt
2.2 oz (65 g) Walnuts
1.5 oz (45 g) Pecorino Romano
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
8 oz (235 ml) Extra Virgin Olive oil

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile wash the Nettles (don't touch them)

Move nettles (with gloves) to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute.

Drain and spray with cold water to stop the cooking.

Squeeze the water out (Just like spinach)

Place about 1/2 the nettles and the garlic on a cutting board with a pinch of salt and begin chopping them with a mezzaluna.

Add 1/2 the walnuts and chop some more.

Add 1/2 the remaining nettles and 1/2 the cheese; then Chop Chop a whole lot more.

Add the remaining Walnuts and Nettles then Chop Chop Choppity Chop.

Then finally, add the last of the cheese and... yep, you guesses it... chop away.

Mash it together so it can me moved to a dish.... I always make it a square cause I use a square container.

Sprinkle with the juice of 1/2 a Lemon.

Then pour Extra Virgin Olive oil over it

and smash with a fork to work the oil into the mixture.

Tada! Pesto from the Forest Floor...

Now anoint some linguine with the Nettle-y goodness and sprinkle with a little more Pecorino Romano...

Delicious!


Mangia!!
~~