Minestrone Verde

The green vegetable soup is perfect for spring. I like to make it easier by using frozen broadbeans and peas. Nor do I bother with making my own pesto. I just buy it fresh, from the Italian deli. Make sure you cook everything well, so all the flavours come together. There is nothing worse than watery minestrone with crisp vegetables. The vegetables should be chopped roughly the same size as the broadbeans.

Ingredients
500g frozen broadbeans
1 chopped red onion
200g chopped bacon
250g chopped green asparagus
250g chopped waxy potato
250g frozen peas
20g butter
1 litre of chicken stock (fake is fine)
1 heaped tbsp of cream (45% fat)
1 heaped tbsp of pesto, plus extra
Fresh black pepper
Freshly chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil

Method
Blanch the broadbeans for a minute to loosen the skins. Drain and allow to cool a little. Peel of their skins and discard. Reserve the beans.

In a soup pot, cook the butter, onion and bacon slowly, over a low heat for about 20 minutes.

Allow the onion to fuse with the bacon, without colouring.

Add all the vegetables.

Top with the stock and simmer everything together for 1 hour.

Puree some of the soup and add it back to the pot. This will give it some body and bring it all together.

Add the cream and reheat gently.

Turn of the heat and add the pesto and parsley. Add salt if it needs it and black pepper.

Serve in soup bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and a spoonful of pesto. Enough for 4.

2 Ways with Artichokes

Artichokes are not difficult to prepare, but you must be aware that there is a lot of wastage and that you must work quickly. Artichokes oxidize rapidly, much quicker than any other vegetable. Begin by setting aside a bowl of water, with the juice of a lemon. This acidulated water will slow down the oxidation. Prepare one at time. Trim the stalk to about 5cm in length. Now begin to rip of the leaves until you reach the tender, yellow leaves. Slice of the top of the artichoke. Using a vegetable peeler, peel of the green skin from the stalk. Also peel the base of the artichoke where the tough leaves were torn away. Place into the bowl of lemony water and continue with the rest. You may also choose to remove the choke with a small spoon. I usually do not- the chokes do not bother me. The following are 2 artichoke recipes. I love them both.

Roast artichokes

Ingredients per person
1 artichoke, prepared as above
1 garlic clove
Fresh herbs-parsley, rosemary, thyme, bay Leaf
Salt
Fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Butter
Fresh lemon, for the table

Method
Preheat the oven to 220c.
Place one artichoke on a piece of foil. Stuff the cavity with the garlic clove. Place your chosen herbs by the artichoke. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil over and add a nut of butter.
Wrap up the artichoke with the foil and roast for 30 minutes.
The artichokes will be tender like butter and beautifully perfumed by the aromatics.
Squeeze over lemon at the table.
These are especially good with grilled fish.

Vignarola
No crisp vegetables here, save them for another time! This is a Roman vegetable braise which is only ever prepared in the spring, with the freshest vegetables. I cheat and use frozen peas and broadbeans. I honestly cannot be bothered with shelling these. This dish goes very well with grilled lamb.

Ingredients
300g frozen broadbeans
200g green onions, finely chopped (These are called salad onions in the state of Victoria)
100g prosciutto, in one thick slice and cubed
3 artichokes, prepared as above
1 tbsp of e.v.olive oil, plus extra
20g butter
200g frozen baby peas
Pinch of sugar
Fresh black pepper
1 tbsp of freshly chopped mint
1 tbsp of freshly chopped parsley

Method
Boil the broad beans for one minute only. This will loosen their skins. Cool by running under cold water. Pinch of their skins and set aside.
Gently fry the onion and the prosciutto in the oil and butter. Do this slowly, it should take about 15 minutes. The onions will melt down and become lightly golden and sweet.
While this is happening, cut the artichokes into quarters. Remove the hairy choke if you wish.
Add them to the pan. Give the whole a stir and cover. Allow the artichokes to braise gently for 10 minutes.
Add the peas and sugar to the pan with a splash of water, cover and cook gently for another 10 minutes.
Now add the broadbeans and another splash of water. Cook again for another 10 minutes.
Season with the pepper. Off the heat add the herbs.
Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil- a green peppery oil will add a new dimension to this dish.
The final result should be a khaki green colour and a bit messy. Dont let the hideous appearance fool you-the flavour is divine. You can serve this warm or at room temperature-it is delicious both ways.