Winter Minestrone Garlic Bruschetta Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Steps:

• Bruschetta:
• Grill or toast the bread under a broiler, on both sides, until golden. Brush with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread with the roasted garlic.
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• Roasted Garlic:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub off any loose papery skin from the garlic, and trim about a 1/2 inch off the top of each head, to expose the cloves. Set the garlic snugly in an ovenproof baking dish just large enough to hold them. Drizzle with the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Cover with foil and cook for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the heads are soft and the tops golden brown, another 30 minutes. Allow garlic to cool.
• Serve the garlic whole for a rustic garnish, or break the heads apart and squeeze the garlic out of skins to eat the whole clove. To store the garlic, place it in a container and cover with olive oil. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Use skinned roasted garlic to season mashed potatoes, in salad dressings, to flavor and thicken sauces, or on sauteed or roasted vegetables.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it's too thick, I add more chicken stock.
• Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste. Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.