Minestrone

450     g                        Zucchini

8          tablespoon     extra virgin olive oil

45        g                        Butter

3                                     Onions, very finely sliced

4                                     Carrots, chopped into fine dice

2          sticks                 Celery

225      g                        Potatoes

115        g                        Fresh green beans

170       g                        Savoy cabbage, shredded finely

400      g                        Tinned cannelini beans

OR

115         g                        Dried cannelini beans, soaked and cooked

1.5          litres                  Homemade meat broth​​

1             litre                    Cold water

                                          Crust of a large piece of parmesan cheese, carefully scraped                                                    clean - optional

170        g                          Tinned or bottled whole tomatoes with their juice

                                            Salt

6            tablespoons     Freshly grated parmesan cheese   

Step 1

Soak the zucchini in a large bowl filled with cold water for at least 20 minutes, then rinse them clean of any remaining grit or dirt.

Trim both ends and finely dice the zucchini.

Step 2

Put the oil and butter into the soup pot with the sliced onion.

Turn the heat to medium low.

Cook the onion uncovered until it softens and just begins to colour the palest of gold but no darker.

Step 3

Add the diced carrots and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Add the celery, and cook stirring occasionally, for 2 - 3 minutes

Add the potatoes, peeled and diced, and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 - 3 minutes.

Step 4

While the carrots, celery and potatoes are cooking, soak the green beans in cold water. 

Rinse and snap off the ends and dice the beans

Step 5

Add the diced beans to the pan, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes

Add the zucchini and cook for 2 - 3 minutes

Continue to give all the ingredients an occasional stir and after a few minutes, add the shredded cabbage.

Continue cooking another 5 - 6 minutes

Step 6

Add the broth, the cheese rind if using, the tomatoes with their juices and a sprinkling of salt.  Stir all of the contents well, mixing them together.  

Cover the pan and lower the heat, keeping the soup just gently bubbling, cooking at a steady but gentle simmer

Step 7

When the soup has cooked for 2 1/2 hours, add the drained, cooked or tinned cannelini beans, stir well and cook for another 30 minutes.  If necessary, you can turn off the heat at any time and resume the cooking later.  
Cook until the consistency is fairly dense.

Minestrone should never be thin and watery.

If you find that the soup is becoming too thick before it has finished cooking, you can dilute it with some more broth or water.

Step 8

When the soup is done, just before you turn off the heat, remove the cheese rind, swirl in the grated parmesan, then taste and correct for salt.