Summertime (Minestrone) and the Living is Easy

It’s too hot to do much. So let’s just eat.

I tore open into my veggie scheme box this weekend and ate all the strawberries. The summer produce smells so good. What else was in there?  

This week there’s kale, three kinds of summer squash, snappy green beans, baby turnips, two kinds of basil, lemons, carrots, spring onions, and garlic. The whole bounty could be thrown together for Summer Minestrone.

Andrew Griffin grew the spring onions, and he photographed them. But I ate them, and you can guess who is very pleased with herself.

Soup with fresh summer vegetables is all about freshly-picked yummies and timing with a light touch— you slice the veggies as thin as you can, and barely cook them.

Here’s the path to ecstasy:

Melt butter, olive oil, and maybe a slice of bacon or pancetta in a Dutch Oven.

Saute some onions and garlic until they're soft and translucent. Take your time. Drink a cold one. If you want to add finely-diced sweet peppers, or fennel, this is the time.

Slice or process your kale, or whatever leafy greens you've got…