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Winter Minestrone
A bowl of something to warm the cockles…
This weekend has seen a return of a severe bout of manflu for your host. It is quite unlike me but I blame it on too much time spent in the kitchen and not enough free time in the great outdoors.
Having been so preoccupied with work I have let my standards for a healthy lifestyle drop somewhat and now must pay the price. So in between moaning and groaning to my staff in a pathetic attempt to glean some sympathy (I only get it because I am in charge) I have come up with a rescue package to get me back on track for ninety covers on New Years Eve.
First up is a bowl of vitamins in the form of a classic Italian soup, I love thick soups with plenty of flavours to keep me occupied and this is one of the best. Ideally you would do the same as me and write a restaurant lunch menu featuring your soup of choice then tell one of your chefs to make it but I realise this may not be entirely practical.
I like to use either beans or tiny pasta shapes instead of spaghetti which most Italians wouldn’t use anyway. Creamy white beans such as cannellini are ideal. For vegetables I always use carrots, potatoes, celery, onion and leek which are all cut into equal size cubes. The addition of some chopped spinach, courgette and/or swiss chard is ideal for colour and contrast.
Sweat the vegetables in some olive oil starting with the hardest ones first, i.e the carrots, let each one do their thing for a minute or so before adding the next. Add the potato last as these stick to the pan like billy-O and you want to retain their shape and texture. Throw in a couple of tablespoons of cooked beans and chick peas then cover with hot vegetable stock and leave to simmer until the vegetables are soft.
Season with salt and pepper, some torn basil leaves and some skinned and diced tomato if you are feeling up to it. A blob of pesto will send you straight to Genoa.
Miles,
You are not alone in feeling under par, everyone seems to have one plague or another. I have taken your advice and written a menu and told the cook to get on with it…. just as I’m enjoying the power of delegation I realise I’m the cook. I also remember last night preparing a pot of chicken stock so what follows shouldn’t be too much trouble. Another fact that has come to light is that the fridge and cupboards are still stacked with festive food…. so much for not over ordering! Looking at the mountain of cheese….. a huge fondu, the panettone, a bread and butter pud and everything else, curry surprise!
Cid
December 30, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
Miles,
Sorry to hear of your second bout of man flu, there, there, there…It appears to have been severe virus infections this winter. Soups are such comforting food to eat.
Cid, we might have to pool our chicken stocks and be on standby for the kitchen. We could get them all around your huge fondu, some of this schnaps for extra warmth and digestion, some fireworks at the ready and off into the New Year they’ll go…
Elsie
December 30, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
Cid,
Now you can see where the term ‘currying (masking!) the flavour’ comes from!
Good luck with that and your recovery.
Miles
December 30, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
Miles,
I’ve taken to spoonfulls of manuka honey for the throat and echinacea tincture for everything else. Did I mention the olbas, the propolis and the chesty chest rub? Just hope I can remember what goes where
I will knit you a vest with all the above ingredients incorporated into it to save time and ward off evil spirits 
Elsie,
Forget saving Miles, I’m older and far more frail… feel free to cook what ever you like as long as it includes cheese and schnapps
Tonight I plan to have the biggest bubble bath of all time and a face pack that promises a youthful, healthy glow (that’ll be the schnapps preservative!). It would be just my luck tonight that Colin Firth gets diverted through Lincolnshire and ends up on my doorstep seeking dry clothes and B & B….
Cid
December 30, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Cid,
I have been drinking echinacea tea recently, fat lot of good that did. The fact is that since I stopped taking non steriod weight training supplements and cut my alcohol intake by 90% I’ve never been right since!
Here’s to New Year’s Eve with a cup of tea and a runny nose.
Miles
December 30, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
Miles,
here’s to New Year’s Eve with a cup of tea and a runny nose … yes indeed, but think of the millions who will wake up hovering over a toilet bowl! Not us though, we’ll be contented with Vick and a good book.
Ditch the echinacea tea and get some tincture which tastes like a shot of brandy anyway…. says she achoooo who knows achooooooooo a thing or atttchhhhhoooooo two about natural medicine sniff, sniff, cough
Cid
December 30, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Cid,
.
I shall be creating soups for you and Miles and send them via e’mail thus avoiding unnecessary exposure to bugs.
Don’t worry about Colin Firth spotting you in your beauty mask. As he is Vermeer tonight you might just be total inspiration to him
A speedy recovery and a Healthy New Year. Prost
Elsie
December 31, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Elsie,
I look forward to the virtual soups…. could you include some virtual hot lemon as well!
Colin as Vermeer eh….. I must remember to wear a pearl earring as I munch some popcorn… that image could well have inspired the great man to change career
To you and yours, a wonderful New Year.
Cid
December 31, 2007 @ 11:48 am