Ed Baines Minestrone Soup with Bruschetta

Minestrone Soup:

• 3 x 15ml tbsp Olive oil
• 50g / 2oz Butter
• 200g/ 7oz Smoked streaky bacon, diced
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• 1 Medium carrot
• 2 Sticks of celery, diced
• 1 Leek, diced
• 1 x heaped tsp Tomato puree
• 2 Cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 x 400g can Chopped tomatoes
• 2 bay leaf
• 2L /3 ½ pt Vegetable stock
• 1 Large baking potato, peeled and diced
• 110g/ 4oz Spaghetti, broken into 2.5cm/1” lengths
• Pinch Salt and ground black pepper

Bruschetta:

• 3 x 15ml tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Ciabbata loaf
• 1 Clove garlic, peeled and halved
• 2 x 5ml tsp Olive oil

Servings: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Preparation:

1. Place the butter and oil in a large saucepan and melt. Fry the diced onion and bacon for 2 – 3 minutes over a moderate heat, until brown and the bacon is just starting to crisp.
2. Increase the heat and add the carrots, celery and leeks cooking for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add the tomato puree, garlic, chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil.
4. Add the bay leaves and vegetable stock and bring to the boil.
5. Add the potato and broken spaghetti bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Season to taste.
6. Meanwhile prepare Bruschetta:
   • Slice Ciabbata loaf into 2cm/ ¾” thick rounds
   • Toast on a griddle pan or under a medium temperature grill
   • Rub with garlic and brush with olive oil.

Alternatively

For additional calories you can reduce the stock volume by 200ml or ¼ pint to 800ml / 1½ pt and stir in 1x200 ml carton of Fortisip Multi Fibre at the end of the recipe, bring back to simmering point but do not boil.

Nutritional intake

When using Fortisip Multi Fibre Tomato

• Calories per serving: 928 Kcal
• Protein per serving: 28 grams

Source: Rarer Cancers Forum DVD

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