B.I.T Rustic Italian Sausage and Vegetable Minestrone Soup

B.I.T Rustic Italian Sausage & Vegetable Minestrone

Serves: 6 -8 persons

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
3/4 lbs B.I.T Rustic Italian Sausage, loose sausage meat or removed from casing, hot, mild or combination

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, minced

1 cup carrot, minced

1 cup celery, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 fresh sage leaves

1/4 lbs fresh or frozen green beans

2 potatoes, medium sized

2 cups fresh or canned whole tomatoes

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen small green peas

2 medium zucchini

1/2 small head of savoy cabbage

1 Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with rind

2 quarts basic chicken broth or low sodium canned chicken broth

1/2 cup arborio or jasmine rice

Preparation:

Mince the onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  In a medium size bowl, combine uncooked hot and mild sausage meat if using combination.  Shred fresh sage leaves and measure the small green peas.  Peel and cube the potatoes into 1/2" pieces. Puree the whole tomatoes or if using fresh, dice the whole tomatoes. Slice zucchini into small pieces.  Remove the core from the cabbage and cut into 1/2" to 1" slices. Remove the rind from the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and set aside. Grate the remaining cheese and put in a small bowl to use as a garnish at the end.

Directions:Heat extra virgin olive oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook 5 - 6 minutes until lightly browned.  Saute loose sausage meat in 12" sauce pan until brown and beginning to stick to bottom of pan.  Add the sausage to lightly browned vegetable mixture in the large pot. Break up sausage meat into small pieces as it cooks. Add sage to mixture and stir.  Add rest of vegetables and season if needed. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano rind and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat to low and simmer partially uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using rice add it now and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let rest 12 to 15 minutes.  Serve with a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Original B.I.T Recipe: B.I.T Rustic Italian Sausage and Vegetable Minestrone
Courtesy of Chef Bertha Teresa Thomas
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