In search of old "Joy of Cooking" minestrone recipe. (celery, lentils)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My mother made this and it was wonderful. It was from a very decrepit Mrs. Rombauer "Joy of Cooking" which I acquired but seems to have got lost in a move. So I bought a "Joy of Cooking" from Amazon and it appears to be too old and predates the minestrone recipe. The later ones feature ham which might be fine but not what I remember and am looking for.
Here is what I remember: NO ham or any other meat, big meaty white navy beans, celery leaves, large pasta, like maybe shell macaroni, bay leaf (??), oregano (?), shredded cabbage, salt, pepper. Serve with quality parmesan cheese sprinkled liberally on top and garlic bread.
An Italian soup made with many kinds of vegetables, even zuccini blossoms. Sometimes elbow macaroni or other pastaand sometimes rice is added instead of dried beans. Sweet sausages and smoked spareribs may also be put in at the end.
Soak and cook until tender
1/2 C dried kidney beans
1/2 C lentils or chickpeas
Drain the beans. Saute in:
3T olive oil
1/4 lb diced salt pork
When the cracklings are crisp, remove and reserve them. Then saute in the remaining fat:
1/4 C diced white onion
When the onion is golden, add and continue to saute briefly:
1C chopped Savoy cabbage
1 diced leek
1/2 C diced carrots
1 C diced zucchini or vegetable marrow
1 pressed clove garlic
Remove from heat and add
1/2 C fresh peas
1 C diced Italian tomatoes
1 t salt
Have ready:
2 Quarts brown stock
Add the drained legumes. Bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and continue to cook about 15 minutes longer. Add:
A generous grating of black pepper
Season to taste
Serve garnished with the reserved cracklings and pass:
Grated parmesan or Asiago cheese
They did a major overhaul of The Joy of Cooking sometime in the 1990s, and got rid of a bunch of recipes.
My old copy from the '70s (left behind in a move) had wonderful recipes for nougat candy, oatmeal cookies, and superb brownies, but they cut or altered them to be more "health conscious". I think their '90s version of health conscious involves substituting seed oils for butter, among other things.
The older edition also had instructions for skinning a squirrel, omitted from later editions.
I've been looking for an old copy for a couple of years, just in case I ever need to skin a squirrel!
They did a major overhaul of The Joy of Cooking sometime in the 1990s, and got rid of a bunch of recipes.
My old copy from the '70s (left behind in a move) had wonderful recipes for nougat candy, oatmeal cookies, and superb brownies, but they cut or altered them to be more "health conscious". I think their '90s version of health conscious involves substituting seed oils for butter, among other things.
The older edition also had instructions for skinning a squirrel, omitted from later editions.
I've been looking for an old copy for a couple of years, just in case I ever need to skin a squirrel!
Keep checking on eBay. I found a copy of my favorite old Fannie Farmer from the 1960s.
An Italian soup made with many kinds of vegetables, even zuccini blossoms. Sometimes elbow macaroni or other pastaand sometimes rice is added instead of dried beans. Sweet sausages and smoked spareribs may also be put in at the end.
Soak and cook until tender
1/2 C dried kidney beans
1/2 C lentils or chickpeas
Drain the beans. Saute in:
3T olive oil
1/4 lb diced salt pork
When the cracklings are crisp, remove and reserve them. Then saute in the remaining fat:
1/4 C diced white onion
When the onion is golden, add and continue to saute briefly:
1C chopped Savoy cabbage
1 diced leek
1/2 C diced carrots
1 C diced zucchini or vegetable marrow
1 pressed clove garlic
Remove from heat and add
1/2 C fresh peas
1 C diced Italian tomatoes
1 t salt
Have ready:
2 Quarts brown stock
Add the drained legumes. Bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and continue to cook about 15 minutes longer. Add:
A generous grating of black pepper
Season to taste
Serve garnished with the reserved cracklings and pass:
Grated parmesan or Asiago cheese
Looks good but a very different recipe.
I saw salt pork. The one I am looking for is meatless. Also for sure did not have carrots, etc.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
