#WhyWasteWednesday
This version of minestrone is basically a hearty lamb stew. It should use the best of what is around and can be made at any time of the year. It’s a great way to maximize roast leftovers, plus use up those quarter bags of pasta from the pantry. When it’s warmer, keep it fresher and serve with less broth. In the cooler months, add some bacon, serve it with bread and use it to warm your cockles.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 50g unsalted butter, chopped
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 100g pancetta, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 cup (250ml) tomato passata
- 250g leftover cooked lamb, shredded
- 150g uncooked dried pasta ‘ends’ (we used caserecci, risoni and fusilli)
- 80g sugar snap peas
- 4 zucchini flowers, stamens removed, stems thinly sliced, petals torn
- Snow pea tendrils & watercress sprigs, to serve
Lamb Stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, carrot, celery stalk & tomato, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
- 1kg leftover roast lamb bones (from leg or shoulder)
Cooking Instructions
- For the stock, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, tomato, garlic, thyme and saffron. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until onion has softened. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until darkened slightly. Add wine and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until reduced slightly.
- Add lamb bones and 3L (12 cups) water, and bring to the boil. Skim any foam from the surface with a spoon, reduce heat to low and simmer gently, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 hours or until infused. Remove from heat and set aside for 20 minutes to cool slightly. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Chill for 2 hours or until fat solidifies on surface. Skim off fat and discard.
- To make the soup, heat oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, pancetta, garlic, carrot and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until onion has softened. Add parmesan rind, passata, lamb stock and shredded lamb. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions or until al dente. Drain and stir through soup.
- Blanch sugar snap peas in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain and refresh. Pod half sugar snaps, reserving pods. Thinly slice reserved pods and remaining sugar snaps.
- Divide minestrone among serving bowls. Scatter with sugar snap pea, zucchini flower, snow pea tendrils and watercress. Drizzle with extra oil to serve.
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Ingredients: 22
Difficulty: Easy
If you have a recipe you would like to share with us for #whywastewednesday, please email christian.bearden100@gmail.com.
If you would like to make an impact on reducing food waste and hunger help us grow our food rescue operations: Donate
#meatlessmonday #foodfindersinc #foodrescue #stopfoodwaste #reducehunger #improvenutrition #helpfoodinsecurecommunities #HelpEndHunger #Volunteer #Charity #fightinghunger #rescuingfood #Donate #makeanimpact