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Pine Ridge Cabernet paired with Minestrone soup
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Pine Ridge Minestrone Soup

Recipe Date: January 24, 2024
Yield: 4 Servings
Prep: PT10Minutes 10 Minutes | Cook: 35 minutes
Total Time: PT45M 45 minutes active
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

The Carneros Cabernet Sauvignon, with its raspberry and fennel essence, enriches the minestrone's butternut squash and kale, while its cherry and mocha nuances blend seamlessly with the beans and pasta, accentuating the soup’s depth of flavor.

Ingredients

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large or 2 small leeks, cut into thin half rounds
  • 3/4 cup diced white onion
  • ¾ cup diced carrots
  • ¾ cup diced celery
  • Bouquet garni: 2 sprigs rosemary + 2 sprigs parsley + 4 thyme sprigs + 2 bay leaves, tied together with kitchen twine
  • Sea salt
  • 2 quarts chicken stock, (sub vegetable stock for a vegetarian crowd)
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin + 1 extra clove (cut in half for croutons)
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and deseeded and cut into ¼ inch cubes – about 4 cups
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 ounces baby kale leaves
  • 20 ounces cooked, white, large cannellini beans
  • 16 ounces elbow noodles, cooked
  • 1 pound rustic country loaf
  • 2 cups grated parmesan
  • Red pepper flakes

Preparation

Preheat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. With two tablespoons olive oil, sauté leeks, onion, carrots, celery, with the bouquet garni, with a ½ teaspoon salt. Partially cover the pot and cook until veggies are fork tender but not soft, about 10 minutes.

Add chicken stock to the pot and turn up heat to medium-high. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and 4 cloves sliced garlic. Bring liquid to a low simmer, add squash and cook until squash is tender. Discard the bouquet garni. Taste and season soup with additional ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper as desired. Add cannellini beans and kale to the pot. Cover and cook over medium low until kale is just wilted. Add cooked noodles to the soup. Taste again and adjust seasoning as desired.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Tear bread into rustic croutons and place on baking sheet. Toss with 1/2 cup olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt. Toast in the oven until golden about 10-15 minutes. Rub the hot croutons with your remaining cut clove of garlic for a little garlicy kick.
Serve big bowls of hot soup topped with croutons, grated parm, and red pepper flakes.

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