This soup is hearty enough for dinner on a cold winter’s night. It is the only way we could get our children to eat all their vegetables! Just as good, if not better, the next day.
Ingredients:
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, ¼ inch slices, and then quarter slices
- 2 carrots
- ½ head cabbage, chopped
- 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained
- 8 – 10 cups of chicken broth
- 1 – 1 lb. ham hock, rinsed (Have butcher cut in half)
- 3 Tbsp of pastina
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions:
Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to pot. Sauté carrots for 5 minutes, push to the edge of the pan. Add onion and cook until it becomes transparent. Add zucchini and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cabbage and garlic and cook until limp. Add ¼ tspof pepper and stir.
Pour eight cups of chicken broth over vegetables. Add 1/3 of the beans, and with the back of a fork, smash he remaining beans and add to pot. Stir until well blended. Add in rinsed ham hock and bring to a boil. Add pastina to boiling soup, then reduce to low heat. Simmer uncovered for a minimum of one hour, or up to three hours for additional flavor. Add additional chicken broth as needed, as soup begins to thicken.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in warm bowls and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 6 – 8 people.
Note: Additional salt may not be necessary given the saltiness of the ham.
Michael recommends pairing this dish with Michael Pozzan Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
