Minestrone

  1. Peel, slice and chop the onions. Peel the garlic and put in a press.
  2. Peel and dice the Carrot and sweet potato. Dice the celery and zucchini.
  3. Drain the liquid from the interior of the tomatoes and crush into a bowl.
  4. Drain the kidney beans and rinse, leave to drain.
  5. Slice the mushrooms.
  6. In a frying pan on medium add 1/2 the oil and the butter and saute the mushrooms. Set aside.
  7. In a large pot on a burner just before medium add the remaining oil and then the onions, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook until the onions are soft.
  8. Sprinkle on the flour and the thyme and oregano, cook a minute then add the stock, sweet potato, tomatoes and mushrooms. Turn up the heat until the soup simmers the turn to low and cover - let cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Add the orzo, kidney beans and zucchini and cook another 15 minutes.
10. Serve either by its self, or topped with Parmesan cheese and/or chopped fresh basil.