NOTE FROM RANDY: “I have been friends with Mark Bego since 1978 when he was the first music industry journalist to interview me and the original Village People. When I was in Arizona with Mark recently, Bego and I cooked up a batch of Minestrone Soup. It was excellent, and we covered it in Parmesan cheese, and ate it for days. Here is the ultimate version of what we cooked up together in Tucson.”
Ingredients:
– 1 cup chopped Onion
– 1 cup chopped Cabbage
– 1 cup chopped Celery
– 1 cup chopped Carrots
– 1 cup Zucchini, sliced and cut in half
– 1 cup Green Beans, cleaned and cut into one inch segments
– 1/8 cup chopped Garlic
– 1 28-ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
– 2 15-ounce cans of Tomato Sauce
– 1 6-ounce can of Tomato Paste
– 1 15-ounce can of White Beans or Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
– 4 cups Chicken Bouillon (broth) or Vegetable Bouillon (broth)
– 1 cup Red Wine
– 3 Bay Leaves
– 1/4 cup chopped Basil leaves
– 1 tablespoon Oregano
– 1 teaspoon of Salt
– 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
– 1/2 cup Olive Oil
– 1 cup uncooked Pasta: elbows, spirals, or shells are best for this soup
– 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
– 1 cup chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
Directions:
In a large, deep cooking pot, add 1/2 cup of olive oil, and sauté the chopped onions, chopped cabbage, chopped celery, chopped carrot, chopped garlic, sliced zucchini and green bean segments.
When the vegetables are getting tender, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, rinsed and drained white or cannellini beans, bouillon, red wine, bay leaves, basil leaves, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer at low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cup of uncooked pasta, and continue to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is done “el dente.” Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the soup in individual bowls, top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.
NOTE FROM MARK: “After a bowl of this soup, you will be ready to disco like it’s 1979! Where is Studio 54 when you need it?”
Ingredients:
– 1 cup chopped Onion
– 1 cup chopped Cabbage
– 1 cup chopped Celery
– 1 cup chopped Carrots
– 1 cup Zucchini, sliced and cut in half
– 1 cup Green Beans, cleaned and cut into one inch segments
– 1/8 cup chopped Garlic
– 1 28-ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
– 2 15-ounce cans of Tomato Sauce
– 1 6-ounce can of Tomato Paste
– 1 15-ounce can of White Beans or Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
– 4 cups Chicken Bouillon (broth) or Vegetable Bouillon (broth)
– 1 cup Red Wine
– 3 Bay Leaves
– 1/4 cup chopped Basil leaves
– 1 tablespoon Oregano
– 1 teaspoon of Salt
– 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
– 1/2 cup Olive Oil
– 1 cup uncooked Pasta: elbows, spirals, or shells are best for this soup
– 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
– 1 cup chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
Directions:
In a large, deep cooking pot, add 1/2 cup of olive oil, and sauté the chopped onions, chopped cabbage, chopped celery, chopped carrot, chopped garlic, sliced zucchini and green bean segments.
When the vegetables are getting tender, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, rinsed and drained white or cannellini beans, bouillon, red wine, bay leaves, basil leaves, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then simmer at low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cup of uncooked pasta, and continue to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is done “el dente.” Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the soup in individual bowls, top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped Italian flat leaf parsley.
NOTE FROM MARK: “After a bowl of this soup, you will be ready to disco like it’s 1979! Where is Studio 54 when you need it?”