Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 oz dried haricot beans
• 3 pints vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 medium carrot
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium courgettes
• 3 medium sized ripe tomatoes
• 2 large potatoes (about 1 lb)
• 4 or 5 sprigs of basil
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 4 oz short cut (elbow shaped) macaroni

Method:

1. Soak the haricot beans overnight and then partially cook in unsalted water.
2. Drain and put into a large heavy pan with 3 pints of vegetable stock.
3. Peel and coarsely chop the onion.  Slice the celery into ½" pieces. Slice the courgettes into ½" pieces and, if on the large size, halve again. Peel and coarsely chop the tomatoes. Peel and cut the potatoes onto small chunks. Strip the basil leaves from the stems and finely shred. Peel and crush the garlic.
4. Add the onion, celery and carrot to the haricot beans and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
5. Bring to the boil and season to taste. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour.
6. Add the courgettes, tomatoes, potatoes and basil and cook for about another 30 minutes.
7. Add the macaroni and cook until "al dente" . This should take about 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot.

Serves 4 and nice if accompanied by a bowl of grated cheese to be handed around.