Minestrone: A Primer

For Step 1:

• Olive oil and/or butter at least one cup total
• 1 or 2 large onion chopped
• 2 or more carrots chopped
• 2 or more stalks of celery chopped
• salt to taste
• A nice chunk of pancetta or other cured pork cut into cubes or lardons (optional)

For Step 2:

• An assortment of non leafy seasonal vegetables of your choice such as potatoes, leeks, green beans, zucchini, pumpkin and tomatoes, chopped into pieces

For Step 3:

• An assortment of leafy seasonal vegetables of your choice such as Savoy cabbage, escarole, chicory and spinach, cut into strips.

For Step 4:

• Enough water or homemade broth to cover all the vegetables.

For Step 5:

• One or more legumes of your choice such as cannellini beans, borlotti beans, cranberry beans, baby lima beans, fava beans and chickpeas.