Minestrone with rice, peas and cannellini

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 80 g dried white beans (cannellini)
• 250 g potatoes
• 100 g carrot(s)
• 100 g celery
• 50 g leek
• 100 g cauliflower
• 150 g zucchini
• 100 g peas (frozen)
• 50 g butter
• 1,000 ml chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 small onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 50 g bacon, streaky, finely diced
• 100 g tomatoes
• 75 g rice, cooked
• ½ bunch basil
• Salt
• White pepper, freshly ground
• Parmesan, freshly grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Total time approx. 13 hours

Completely cover the beans with cold water and let them soak overnight. Clean and wash the vegetables. Cut the celery into fine strips, the potatoes into cubes, the zucchini and carrots into slices, and the leek into rings. Divide the cauliflower into small florets. Heat the butter in a large, shallow saucepan and sauté the potatoes, celery, leek, and carrots over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the drained beans, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Wash the parsley, shake dry, and place whole on top of the minestrone. Let it simmer with the lid half-open for 30 minutes. Then add the cauliflower, zucchini, and peas and cook for another 10 minutes. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic clove. Fry the bacon in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic clove, but do not allow it to brown. Heat the water in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Briefly add the tomatoes, one at a time, to the boiling water, lift them out with a slotted spoon, and peel them. Then halve them, cut out the stems, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into small cubes. Add everything to the soup along with the rice. Simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring gently. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and parsley. Wash the basil, shake it dry, pluck the leaves from the stems, and cut them into fine strips. Season the soup with the basil, adding salt and freshly ground pepper if desired. Serve the soup with the freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.