Minestrone alla Milanese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 8-quart Dutch oven or soup pot
• •Wooden spoon
• •Ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the pancetta

   In a heavy 8-quart pot, combine the diced pancetta with the olive oil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has rendered most of its fat and the edges turn golden and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. Do not let it brown too deeply. The fat should remain pale and sweet.

   The pancetta is not a garnish added at the end. It is the foundation. Every vegetable that follows will cook in this rendered fat, and that is what makes the Milanese version distinct.
2. 2

   Build the soffritto

   Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Stir to coat in the rendered fat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are completely soft and the onion is translucent with golden edges, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and parsley in the final minute. The garlic must soften but not color.

3. 3

   Add the potatoes and beans

   Add the diced potatoes and the drained cannellini beans. Stir everything together and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the potatoes to begin absorbing the flavors of the soffritto. The beans will hold their shape if you handle them gently.

   Canned beans are perfectly acceptable here. Dried beans require separate cooking and timing that complicates this already substantial recipe. Use what works.
4. 4

   Add the quick-cooking vegetables

   Add the zucchini and Savoy cabbage to the pot. The cabbage will seem like too much. It will cook down. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes until the cabbage begins to wilt.

5. 5

   Add liquid and simmer

   Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and Parmigiano rind. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. The soup should bubble gently, not vigorously. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes should be tender and beginning to break apart at the edges.

   Never cover a soup while it simmers. Covered pots trap moisture and prevent the proper concentration of flavors. The soup should reduce slightly as it cooks.
6. 6

   Add the rice

   Add the Arborio rice directly to the simmering soup. Stir well to distribute. The rice will cook in about 18 minutes, releasing its starch and thickening the broth considerably. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking. The soup is ready when the rice is tender but retains a slight firmness at the center.

   Arborio is essential. Its high starch content thickens the soup in a way that long-grain rice cannot. This is the same quality that makes it correct for risotto.
7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Remove the pot from heat. Fish out and discard the cheese rind. Stir in the butter until it melts completely and enriches the soup with a subtle richness. Season with salt and pepper. The soup should be very thick, almost a stew. Ladle into warm bowls and pass freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table. Once served, invite everyone to eat promptly.

Chef Tips

• •Homemade chicken broth transforms this soup. The gelatin from properly made broth gives body that no store-bought version can match. If you must use commercial broth, choose a low-sodium variety and adjust salt at the end.
• •The soup thickens considerably as it sits. When reheating, add water or additional broth to restore the proper consistency. It should be thick but still flow from a ladle.
• •In summer, add fresh borlotti beans (cranberry beans) still in their pods. Shell them and add with the potatoes. They cook in the same time and have a creaminess that canned beans cannot replicate.
• •Some Milanese families serve minestrone at room temperature in summer, calling it minestrone freddo. This is acceptable. The flavors change slightly but remain good.

Advance Preparation

• •The soup, without the rice, can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Add the rice when reheating, extending the cooking time slightly since you start from cold.
• •Leftover soup with rice will be very thick the next day. This is the Milanese way of eating it, almost like a savory porridge, with more cheese grated on top.
• •The soup freezes adequately for two months if made without rice. Add the rice fresh when serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)