Page 6 - Bella Vista Gardens Newsletter Winter 2019_Final

6 BELLA VISTA NEWS, WINTER 2019
What's Cooking
Vegetable Soup
It’s been lovely to have summer drag
on, but it’s time to break out the Ugg
Boots and prepare some winter
warmers for the whole family to
enjoy! What better than a soup that is
both hearty and healthy. This
vegetable soup, though hearty, is
actually quite light, as it has plenty of
fresh vegetables and herbs to make it
easy to digest and leave you hanging
for more!
It can be easily adapted into a meal,
with the addition of meat proteins
(bacon, ham hock, chorizo, chicken,
seafood) and pastas (such as noodles,
risoni or macaroni). Winter greens,
like baby kale, spinach leaves and
Cavolo Nero (black cabbage) leaves
can be added towards the end of
cooking that create great colour and
texture. Other great flavourings can
be added too. Pesto gives an amazing
burst of colour and flavour. Pesto, the
Tuscan sauce made primarily of pine
nuts, parmesan and garlic, is the
traditional garnish to minestrone and
ribolita. I hope you enjoy creating
your own winter warmer!
What’s
Cooking
with Ashley, Group Executive Chef
Ingredients: Method:
• 1 small brown onion, peeled 1. Dice all vegetables into similar
• 1 small carrot, peeled size. Approx. ½‐1cm.
• 1 small stick of celery, washed 2. In a large soup pot, sweat the
• ½ cup of leeks, washed and carrot, leek, celery & onion.
sliced or diced 3. When soft, add the tomato
paste and garlic. Stirring
• 2 Tsp olive oil frequently and being careful not
• 1 Tsp minced garlic
• ¼ cup zucchini, diced to burn.
• ¼ cup green peas (fresh or 4. Add the water or stock and
frozen) the beans.
• 1 Tbspn tomato paste 5. Bring to the boil, turn down
• 1 small tin mixed beans, and simmer for 45‐50 minutes.
drained & washed 6. Add the remaining vegetables
• 1‐1.5L water, vegetable or and return to a simmer.
chicken stock 7. Add salt & pepper to taste.
• Salt & pepper to taste 8. Stir in the corn flour/water
• 1 handful of baby spinach mixture (if desired to be thicker).
leaves 9. Return to a simmer and cook
for approx. 5 minutes; add the
herbs just before serving.
10. If too thick, more water or
stock can be added.
11. Drizzle in a good slug of extra
virgin olive oil and serve with
your favourite bread.
12. Serves four as a main course.