There are minestrones for every season and this is our wintery version. As the name suggests this should represent what is being grown locally at the moment. A winter bounty turned into a warm and comforting evening meal. We’ve added some pesto at the end to bring the whole thing together. Perfect for batch cooking.



Ingredients (12):
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion (finely sliced)
2 leek (trimmed, halved, washed and sliced)
400 g potatoes (peeled & chopped into 1 cm cubes)
– Rooster or floury potato works perfect.
2 stick of celery (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
4 carrot (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tin of haricot beans
– Butterbeans will also work or any beans really.
6 tbsp pesto
400 ml vegetable stock
6 slice sour dough
Method
1. Preheat a large heavy-based pot. Add the onions and olive oil. Then, slice the leeks and add them along with a decent pinch of salt. Continue to sweat them as you prep for the next step.
+ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
+ 1 onion (finely sliced)
+ 2 leeks (trimmed, halved, washed and sliced)
2. Then chop the potatoes, carrots and celery and add them as they’re ready. Season with salt and pepper as you add each one.
+ 400 g potatoes (peeled & chopped into 1 cm cubes)
+ 4 carrots (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
+ 2 sticks of celery (chopped into 1 cm cubes)
3. Then add the tomato puree and cook for 1 mins and then add the tin of tomatoes and cook for 8 mins.
+ 1 tin of tomatoes
+ 1 tbsp tomato puree
4. Add the stock and the entire contents of the beans liquid and all, bring to a boil and cook for 15 mins or until the veg is soft.
+ 400 ml vegetable stock
+ 1 tin of haricot beans
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving with pesto (using as much as you like). Serve with the bread.
+ 6 tbsp pesto
+ 6 slices sourdough