Day ninety five

Minestrone soup on the buffet

What is Minestrone soup (with a recipe)?

We have cooked a new menu today in a class. The menu was: Turkey stew; Biscuits; Warm Cabbage Salad; Rosti Potatoes; Seasonal Vegetables; Minestrone Soup; Pork Loin; and Sauteed Apples.

I was responsible for a Minestrone Soup. I like this soup, it's Italian vegetable soup with small pasta and  beans. What I did not realize yesterday is that a lot of cutting and chopping involved. We made a big batch (five gallons) and also we did not have chicken stock on hand, so we had to make vegetable stock for the soup (even more chopping and cutting). At some point
I had to ask for help people from other teams. People were nice and ready to help, so soup was finished on time and it was good (once in a blue moon I did not overcook vegetables).

Here is a recipe for the soup.
MINESTRONE SOUP yield 1 gallon
Ingredients:

2 oz        Salt pork, minced

2 fl oz    Olive oil
1 lb        Onion, medium dice
8 oz       Celery , medium dice 
8 oz       Carrot, medium dice
8 oz       Green pepper, medium dice 
8 oz       Cabbage, medium dice 
1/2 oz   Garlic, minced
1 lb       Tomato, concassé
3 qt      Chicken stock
Salt, as needed
Black pepper, ground as needed 
10 oz   Chickpeas, cooked
6 oz     Ditalini pasta, cooked

Garnish
5 oz      Parmigiano, grated 
2 cups  Herb purée

Method:

1. Render the salt pork with the oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat until the fat has melted but the meat has not browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the onions, celery, carrots, peppers, cabbage, and garlic and sweat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Add the tomato concassé, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, skim and taste. Simmer until vegetables are tender about 20 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
   
4. Add the chickpeas and ditalini. Taste the soup. Adjust seasoning if necessary. If not using now, the soup should be rapidly cooled and stored properly.
   
5. When needed, return the soup to a simmer, skim, taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish individual portions with grated Parmigiano. 
   
   
   HERB PURÉE  yield 2 cups
   Ingredients:
   

   1 oz Parsley leaves, washed
   3 oz Basil, leaves, washed
   2 oz Chives, washed and sliced 1⁄2“ 
   16 oz Olive oil
   
   Method:
   

   1. In a small sauce pot, blanch the parsley, basil and chives in boiling salted water for 20 seconds. Remove from the water, shock in an ice water bath, and drain well. Blot the herbs dry on paper towels.
      
   2. Combine the blanched herbs with half of the oil in a blender and purée until smooth. With the blender running, add the remaining oil. Pour into a clean bottle. Close the bottle and refrigerate.