An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace

by Tamar Adler

Minestrone 1 cup diced onion, carrot, celery, leek, fennel 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1/2 cup olive oil a small pinch of chile flakes the end of a piece of cured meat or hard salami, diced 1 cup any combination parsley, thyme, marjoram, basil leaves 2 to 3 cups roughly chopped any combination kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, dandelion greens, broccoli raab, escarole, cabbage (cooked or raw), any stems and leaves, ribs, and cores, cooked or raw 1/2 cup whole tomatoes, well chopped, or drained canned tomatoes optional: 1/2 to 1 cup chopped root vegetables (if they are there and need to be cooked, or cooked and need to be eaten) 6 cups cooked beans a Parmesan rind 8 cups any combination bean broth, stock, and liquid from cans of tomatoes 1 cup small pasta such as orecchiette, little tubes, or small penne pesto, olive tapenade, fresh ricotta, or parsley for garnish Cook the onion, carrot, celery, leek, fennel, and garlic in the olive oil until tender in a big pot. Add the chile flakes and any cured meat. Stir to combine. Add the herbs, greens, tomatoes, root vegetables, beans, and cheese rind, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot. Add liquid to cover. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until everything has agreed to become minestrone. Just before you eat the soup, cook the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water, only enough for the soup you’re planning to eat that week, and add it to the week’s soup. If you freeze minestrone, cook new pasta when...