Name: Minestrone with barley and greens
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 ham hock (1kg); 1 medium brown onion (150g), quartered; 1 stalk celery (150g), trimmed, chopped coarsely; 1 teaspoon black peppercorns; 1 fresh bay leaf; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large carrot (180g), chopped finely; 1 small leek (200g), sliced thinly; 2 stalks celery (300g), trimmed, extra, chopped finely; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; ¼ cup (70g) tomato paste; 2 large tomatoes (440g), chopped finely; 1 cup (200g) barley; 1 bunch cavolo nero (tuscan cabbage), sliced thinly; 1 bunch broccolini, cut into 4cm (1½in) pieces; 400 grams can white beans, drained, rinsed; ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; ½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan; toasted Sourdough, to serve

This classic Italian soup is wonderfully versatile. With a broth and tomato base to which you can add traditional ingredients like ham hock, white beans and pasta, or get creative with whichever vegetables, meats and grains you like or have on hand. Here we’ve used barley instead of pasta, and cavolo nero and broccolini alongside classic vegetable inclusions of carrot and leek.

There’s plenty of new food to look forward to once the weather starts to cool, with an influx of fresh, autumnal produce, plenty of warming stews and, of course, bowls of hearty soups. This is the one to reach for when you’re craving a bit of comfort, warmth and nourishing.

Looking for more hearty soup recipes?

Ingredients

1 ham hock (1kg)

1 medium brown onion (150g), quartered

1 stalk celery (150g), trimmed, chopped coarsely

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 fresh bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large carrot (180g), chopped finely

1 small leek (200g), sliced thinly

2 stalks celery (300g), trimmed, extra, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup (70g) tomato paste

2 large tomatoes (440g), chopped finely

1 cup (200g) barley

1 bunch cavolo nero (tuscan cabbage), sliced thinly

1 bunch broccolini, cut into 4cm (1½in) pieces

400 grams can white beans, drained, rinsed

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan

toasted Sourdough, to serve

Method

1.Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F.

2.Roast ham hock and onion in a baking dish, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

3.Transfer roasted hock and onion to a large saucepan. Add the celery, peppercorns, bay leaf and 4 litres (16 cups) water; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.

4.Remove hock from broth. Strain broth through a muslin-lined sieve or colander into a large heatproof bowl; discard solids. Allow broth to cool. Cover; refrigerate until cold.

5.Remove ham from hock; shred coarsely. Discard bone, fat and skin.

6.Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook carrot, leek and extra celery, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add shredded ham, garlic, paste and fresh tomato; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

7.Discard fat from surface of broth. Pour broth into a large measuring jug; add enough water to make 2 litres (8 cups). Pour broth into pan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

8.Add barley to pan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Add cavolo nero, broccolini and beans; simmer for a further 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley.

9.Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with parmesan. Serve with toasted sourdough.

Store minestrone in the fridge for up to 4 days; or freeze for up to 2 months.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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