Tuscan vegetable & bread soup
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 5 c Chicken stock
- 1 lb Chicken breasts skinned
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3 tb Olive oil
- 1 Onion chopped
- 2 Garlic clove; minced
- 2 Carrots diced
- 2 Celery stalk; diced
- 1 Sweet green pepper diced
- 2 c Cabbage; chopped
- 1 ts Dried thyme
- 1 ts Dried rosemary
- 19 oz Tomatoes coarsely chopped -undrained
- 1/4 ts Pepper
- 10 oz Spinach frozen; chopped
- 1/2 c Parsley fresh; chopped
- 1 sm Zucchini; thinly sliced
- 19 oz White kidney beans drained -& rinsed(red would do also)
- 8 sl French or Italian bread -stale
- 1 c Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
In large saucepan bring chicken stock chicken breasts and bay leaves to boil; reduce heat cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove c#icken and discard the bones. Dice meat and set aside. Discard bay leaves. Keep stock warm. Meanwhile in large skillet heat 2 tbsp. of the oil over medium heat; cook chopped onion garlic diced carrots and celery for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add remaining oil diced green pepper chopped cabbage thyme and rosemary; cook over low heat stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add vegetable mixture to stock in saucepan along with tomatoes and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add spinach parsley zucchini kidney beans and reserved diced chicken; cook for 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup soup and set aside. Ladle half of the remaining soup into 24-cup Dutch oven or casserole; cover with 4 of the bread slices and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese. Cover with remaining soup; layer with remaining bread. Drizzle reserved soup over top; sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. (Recipe can be prepared to this point cooled covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Bake covered in 350 F. oven for 20 minutes (45 minutes if refrigerated); uncover and bake for 20 minutes longer (45 minutes if refrigerated) or until hot. Garnish: ladle soup into large warmed bowls; garnish with drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. From: Susan Macnab
