Hearty Minestrone

1. 1

   Melt butter and olive oil in dutch oven or stock pot of at least 5 1/2 quart capacity. Set heat to medium and add onion, celery, garlic and cabbage. Mix ingredients well; add salt and pepper. Saute' for about 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Once vegetables are translucent, add vegetable stock along with the tomatoes, potato and chickpeas. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove about 4 cups of mixture (mostly solids) to a heatproof container. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Return blended ingredients to pot to incorporate with soup. Alternately, a blender can be used for this process.

3. 3

   Add zucchini, green beans, carrots and kidney beans to pot and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for an additional 25 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir in the fresh herbs. Remove from heat and, if necessary, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

No additional tips available.