Arrabbiato Minestrone Denso Thats A Hilarious Name For It

...or Angry Thick Minestrone. It may better named as Piccantissimo Minestrone Denso.

Since all Italians know how to cook, I will just list the ingredients, some of which vary from time to time. Although I am a devout carnivore, this is a vegetarian soup.

BASIC INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, any variety, chopped.

2 or 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced.

2 or 3 carrots, unpeeled but washed, thinly sliced

Several extremely incendiary fresh peperoncini peppers(not the jarred kind, but like serranos, habaneros, or even the hottest...Bhut Jolokia, the ghost pepper from India).

Any number of garlic cloves, minced

Extra virgin olive oil, enough to cover a 6-quart stock pot (a larger stock pot may be needed).

6 or 12-oz. tomato paste, your preference.

2 cups of dried beans (variety of choice is navy beans).
2/3 cup each lentils, green split peas, and barley
3 pound head of green cabbage, chopped including core)

VARYING INGREDIENTS

Chopped stems from raw chard (I use what my wife discards).

Rutabaga.

Herbs of choice.

BBQ Sauce (along with the tomato paste).

Garbanzo beans, black beans, etc.
Leftover broccoli.

Leftover converted rice (you know the brand)
other leftover vegetables.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Begin by soaking the beans overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans and add to 5-quart Dutch oven.

Cover with water and bring to a boil. Then lower heat to a simmer for 30 minutes partially covered.

Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. RESERVE THE BEAN COOKING LIQUID. Beans will be cooked some more with other ingredients.

Add oil to larger stock pot, and when oil shimmers, saute soffritto (onions, celery, carrots, and peperoncini (general Italian term for hot peppers).

Add some of the bean liquid, and the tomato paste (also BBQ sauce if you use it). Stir well.

Common sense dictates that the rest of the cooking process. Add all the reserved bean liquid and hot water as needed. Simmer uncovered until all of the cabbage has been added to the pot and allow to simmer for an hour or more.

AN ISIDE...

I eat this every morning for breakfast.

YES, BREAKFAST!

The beans and grains are 'resistant starches' that do not turn immediately to glucose in the stomach. The cleans the GI tract of glucose.

I have lowered my bad cholesterol levels and blood glucose eating this stuff.

WARNING...

If you cannot tolerate extremely incendiary peppers, substitute bell peppers of any color.

Buon appetito e mangia bene.