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While thinking about new recipes to try for Soup Monday I realised every recipe I wanted to make started with 'C': cauliflower soup,carrot soup, chicoree soup, chilli con carne, chicken soup, corn chowder etc. I thought to myself I need to find a different soup, starting with a different letter.
It's a bit silly, but hey! So here is my Minestrone. With a capital 'M'! Through the addition of chicken meatballs and risoni pasta this soup one is super hearty and probably more like a stew. But the flavours are amazing!
Minestrone with Rosemary Chicken Meatballs and Risoni (serves 6) (Printable recipe)
1 tbs vegetable oil
100g speck, diced (or middle bacon)
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1/2 head of fennel, roughly chopped
1 firm potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbs chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
800g diced tinned tomatoes
1 liter chicken stock
1/2 - 3/4 cup of risoni pasta
500g chicken (thigh) mince*
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 egg
1 tbs chopped rosemary
*chicken thigh mince won't dry out like chicken breast sometimes will. You can get chicken thigh mince from your butcher, it might be harder to get from supermarkets, so by all means, use normal chicken mince.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add diced speck and fry until it gets a little bit crispy and brown. Add chopped carrots, fennel, potato and rosemary. Cook while stirring for about 5 minutes or until softened.
Add tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil. Meanwhile prepare meatballs.
To make the meatballs mix chicken mince, garlic, egg and rosemary. Roll level tablespoons of mixtures into meatballs.
Add meatballs to the soup and simmer for 15 minutes or until coked through.
Add risoni and stir to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. Take the saucepan off the heat when the pasta has cooked (about 11 minutes).
