(Vegetarian, vegan)

During ordinary time, I’m pescetarian. That is to say, I get my protein from fish, dairy and plant sources, but not animals with legs. During Lent, I go vegan.

It’s not that I’m of the fire-and-brimstone persuasion, of self-inflicted penance, suffering and shame. Not at all. I was, however, raised Catholic, and I now practice my own brand of it.

In its origins, I suspect that the notion of deprivation during Lent was not so much an imperative from God as it was a reality of life. During the Lenten season, which comes at the very end of winter, there must have been little left to eat and nothing growing. Much had been lost over the harsh winter, and so it was a time of natural deprivation while the people waited for the frozen earth to crack open like an Easter egg and bubble over with fertility once again. Going vegan during Lent lets me experience this, and connects me closely to that natural history. And it prepares me to celebrate and appreciate the upcoming gardening season.

It’ll be a very long 40 days and 40 nights. But you’ll get some great animal-free recipes out of the deal, like this one.

This is a dish that my mother could eat. She’s always (politely) protesting the fiery and/or bold spices in my recipes. Well here you go, Mom. This here is your basic comfort food. This version is high in fiber and extremely nutritious, so it feels like you’re getting away with something.

The recipe
Of course the classic bean for minestrone is cannellini (or, in French, haricot blancs). And, it turns out, cannellinis are heirlooms. Arriving from Italy in the States in the early 1800s, this bean is so commonly used that its history seems to have been lost. Even, Seed Saver’s Exchange, which sells a runner version of the seed, has little to report on its origins. One thing is certain – this bean has been the staple of minestrone for a reason. With a potato-like texture and a proclivity to break apart, the nutty-flavored little bean makes for a rich and creamy soup.

I’ve tossed in some barley, for good measure and for protein. The combination of the cannellinis and grain provides a complete set of amino acids, and I’ll be looking for that anywhere I can find it during these weeks preceding Easter.

Winter Minestrone
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion
1 large potato (skin on), cubed
8 ounces (or one big bunch) Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, fire roasted if you can find them (no, Mom, fire roasted doesn’t mean spicy)
1 ¼ cup dry cannellini beans, cooked (or 3 cups canned cannellinis)
1/2 cup dry barley, cooked (it will yield about 1 ½ cups cooked)
6-7 cups vegetable broth (water may also be used)
2 tablespoons dried Italian basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh
2 shakes of liquid smoke (for the flavor often imparted by pancetta in traditional minestrone)
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the potato and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook for two more minutes. Add canned tomatoes, heat until tomatoes begin to break apart and then add 6 cups of the broth. Stir in beans, barley, and all of the seasonings except parsley. At this point you may want to add the other cup of broth, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup – entirely up to you. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until potato cubes are soft. Give the pot a good stir so that the beans and tomatoes begin to break apart, adding a nice texture to the broth. Stir in fresh parsley, salt and pepper, then serve. (And, if you don’t want to be vegan, grate some fresh Parmesan/Reggiano to garnish).

Tags: barley, cannellini beans, haricot blanc, swiss chard, vegan minestrone, winter minestrone

This entry was posted on Friday, February 15th, 2008 at 8:24 pm and is filed under Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.