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New Year Minestrone Soup

In most European countries it’s is customary to eat lentils and pork on New Year’s Day, because they represent luck and prosperity. So this New Year Minestrone Soup is made with lentils and Frankfurters which add a smoky flavour to the dish. You can use fried bacon or grilled sausages instead (these only need 1-2 minutes to warm through at the end). Serve with crusty bread.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian, Mid&East European
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram or Italina mixed herbs
  • 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 cup orzo or small pasta shells
  • 6 Frankfurters
  • 1 tin brown lentils drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
  • Salt & pepper

Method
 

  1. Finely chop the onion and garlic, then dice the carrot and celery .
  2. In a large, heavy-based pot, heat the oil, then gently sauté the onion for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic, carrot and celery pieces. Add the dried herbs of your choice, then gently sweat the vegetables over low heat for about 5 minutes. You can add a couple Tbsps of water to make sure the veggies don’t stick to the base.
  3. Add the vegetable stock, chopped tomatoes and bring to a boil, then add the pasta.
  4. Bring to the boil again, then simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, cut the Frankfurters into 1 cm chunks and rinse & drain the lentils. When the veggies are tender, add the frankfurters and lentils to the soup and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  6. Taste the soup and season to your liking (the frankfurters are quite salty, so be careful with salt!)
  7. Serve with fresh parsley scattered on top.