.: life is a minestrone :.
Life is a minestrone
...so in a large stock pot add a knob of butter and a glug of olive oil [not extra virgin as it is a waste of flavour that will be overpowered by other ingredients] and heat until frothing. Remove the rind from 2 rashers of bacon and add to the pot, stirring, chop finely the bacon and add to brown... if you have a small piece of topside or chuck steak, [100gm or less] cube it really finely and brown also [adds greatly to resultant flavour down the line]
... peel 2 medium potatoes and a carrot, then dice and add, covering after each addition and stir ... this is called "sweating" and is important for the developing flavours...chop 2 sticks of celery and a large onion, add to the pot [the observent amongst you now realise we have a mirepoix of vegetables in with the bacon now] ... add 4 [or more] chopped cloves of garlic and stir, continue with the sweating, taking care to stop the mix catching on the bottom of the pan... chop a zuchini, add to the sweating vegetables.
Now add stock - lots ... if good quality stock, then 4 litres ... now wash then shave a head of broccoli into the mix, then take the stalk and chop finely and add to the stock [great flavour], add a handfull of finely chopped parsley, a can of tomatoes that has been blended, 4 tablespoons [or more] of robust tomato paste, 3 bay leaves, good pinch of dried oregano, good 2 pinches of dried basil, really solid grind of black pepper, teaspoon of salt [less if the stock was seasoned], desert spoon of sugar [helps the tomatoes], bring to boil, fish out the now gelatinous bacon rinds [they have done their job] stirring occasionally and simmer for at least an hour ... longer is better.
... next add 4 big handfulls of pasta, simmer gently for a half hour and then serve in big bowls with crusty bread.
... is the most delicious winter lunch and there will be soup left over for a couple of extra lunches if there are only a few of you.... mmmm, made it today for lunch.
Optional extras: a half teaspoon of minced chillis at the early vege sweating stage adds a little zing, adding soaked harricot beans and allowing them to cook slowly is a little more traditional [but gives me gas, so i generally avoid them]; add whatever vegies you have on hand [the broccoli imparts a wonderful flavour when cooked long, the broccoli stalks are delicions cooked long also] but I would avoid cabbage and brussel sprouts as both are disgusting if cooked for a long time and will impart a bitter flavour to the soup... try it, I know you will be impressed.
Served up with parmesan cheese
Why is this cheese so delicious to eat, yet smells like someone has vomited .. life is not fair sometimes.
Death is a cold Lasagne
... so if you venture to the southern end of level 2 south, there is this gate and if you open it, you find yourself in a garden labrynth teeming with life, most of it hippy-related...if you make it thru the garden then you will find an orchard, chook pen, waste disposal plant, windmill and a multi-story building, similarly infested with hippies ... oh, that is right, you do not play MUD, ignore this section then.
Suspended in deep freeze
A warm winter thanks to those nice blokes from 10cc - a band ahead of its time and certainly not adverse to overdubbing in the recording studio...it is rumoured tht their song "I am not in love" was so heavily overdubbed tht the master tape had holes worn in it - so rich, good old analogue ... good old Godley and Creme
...so in a large stock pot add a knob of butter and a glug of olive oil [not extra virgin as it is a waste of flavour that will be overpowered by other ingredients] and heat until frothing. Remove the rind from 2 rashers of bacon and add to the pot, stirring, chop finely the bacon and add to brown... if you have a small piece of topside or chuck steak, [100gm or less] cube it really finely and brown also [adds greatly to resultant flavour down the line]
... peel 2 medium potatoes and a carrot, then dice and add, covering after each addition and stir ... this is called "sweating" and is important for the developing flavours...chop 2 sticks of celery and a large onion, add to the pot [the observent amongst you now realise we have a mirepoix of vegetables in with the bacon now] ... add 4 [or more] chopped cloves of garlic and stir, continue with the sweating, taking care to stop the mix catching on the bottom of the pan... chop a zuchini, add to the sweating vegetables.
Now add stock - lots ... if good quality stock, then 4 litres ... now wash then shave a head of broccoli into the mix, then take the stalk and chop finely and add to the stock [great flavour], add a handfull of finely chopped parsley, a can of tomatoes that has been blended, 4 tablespoons [or more] of robust tomato paste, 3 bay leaves, good pinch of dried oregano, good 2 pinches of dried basil, really solid grind of black pepper, teaspoon of salt [less if the stock was seasoned], desert spoon of sugar [helps the tomatoes], bring to boil, fish out the now gelatinous bacon rinds [they have done their job] stirring occasionally and simmer for at least an hour ... longer is better.
... next add 4 big handfulls of pasta, simmer gently for a half hour and then serve in big bowls with crusty bread.
... is the most delicious winter lunch and there will be soup left over for a couple of extra lunches if there are only a few of you.... mmmm, made it today for lunch.
Optional extras: a half teaspoon of minced chillis at the early vege sweating stage adds a little zing, adding soaked harricot beans and allowing them to cook slowly is a little more traditional [but gives me gas, so i generally avoid them]; add whatever vegies you have on hand [the broccoli imparts a wonderful flavour when cooked long, the broccoli stalks are delicions cooked long also] but I would avoid cabbage and brussel sprouts as both are disgusting if cooked for a long time and will impart a bitter flavour to the soup... try it, I know you will be impressed.
Served up with parmesan cheese
Why is this cheese so delicious to eat, yet smells like someone has vomited .. life is not fair sometimes.
Death is a cold Lasagne
... so if you venture to the southern end of level 2 south, there is this gate and if you open it, you find yourself in a garden labrynth teeming with life, most of it hippy-related...if you make it thru the garden then you will find an orchard, chook pen, waste disposal plant, windmill and a multi-story building, similarly infested with hippies ... oh, that is right, you do not play MUD, ignore this section then.
Suspended in deep freeze
A warm winter thanks to those nice blokes from 10cc - a band ahead of its time and certainly not adverse to overdubbing in the recording studio...it is rumoured tht their song "I am not in love" was so heavily overdubbed tht the master tape had holes worn in it - so rich, good old analogue ... good old Godley and Creme
| Feeling | :: | losing the will to live |
| Watching | :: | "House" after my video recorder watched it for me [nice little obedient machine] |
| Reading | :: | MOO assignments, exam questions and the instructions on sedative boxes [oh for a marking machine... ponders] |
| Hearing | :: | "Drive Through" by The Necks [interesting freeform synth with jazzy undertones] |
| Accessed | :: | 2011 times so far, not that anyone is counting. |
sacrelicous (adj.) A statement describing something that tastes delightful, yet it is sacrilegious. Example: If an Jewish Orthodox man were to eat pork, he would exclaim, "Sacrelicous!" if he were to enjoy it.