by Margaret Merrill

Created on: July 17, 2008   Last Updated: September 06, 2010

"Grandma, Grandma, PLEASE make minestrone! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!"

I can distinctly remember begging my grandmother on more than one occasion to make minestrone. I normally hated vegetable soup. That is, except for my grandmother's. I would eat my grandmother's minestrone until I was about to burst. Her vegetables, freshly cut, the different beans and on rare occasions, the meat she would put in it. That would depend on the time of the year in the Church.

This recipe is my re-creation of my grandmother's minestrone. I have chosen to include the meat in it, but, if you choose, you may leave the meat out.

TOOLS NEEDED: 10-quart pot; wooden spoon, dry and liquid measuring cups; measuring spoons; can opener; grater OR food processor with a shredding disc; sharp knives (3); cutting boards (2); bowls (4)one large, one medium and two small.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds head cabbage
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound very lean Italian sweet sausage, casing removed & crumbled (stew meat cut  works well, too)
1 large yellow onion (1/2 pound), diced
1 35 oz can Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped with juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil OR 2 teaspoons crumbled dried basil
(1) 1 pound bag baby carrots, cut into cubes
8 large celery ribs (1 pound), strings removed, cut into cubes
2 quarts chicken broth, (low sodium)
c. Arborio OR converted long grain rice (Basmati works well), all dark grains removed
20 oz can cannellini beans 20 oz can red kidney beans. Drain both beans if you want
Parmesan cheese (preferably freshly grated)

PRE-PREP HELPS IMMENSELY! Take the time to dice the carrots, celery and onion ahead of time, as well as shredding the cabbage prior to starting the minestrone. It will make it so much easier to put the minestrone together.

To prep cabbage, get rid of bruised outer leaves, wash & blot dry. Quarter the cabbage & remove the core. Shred on the large holes of the grater or food processor with food processing disc. Place in the large bowl, and set to the side. Using a cutting board, dice the carrots and celery into cubes; they can be combined in the medium bowl. Then, dice the onion and place it into one of the small bowls and set it to the side. Finally, using another, clean cutting board, carefully remove the casing from one pound of very lean Italian sweet sausage. As you remove each casing, crumble the sausages into another small bowl.

In the 10-qt stockpot, heat olive oil

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