I was fortunate enough to receive the official cookbook of Thug Kitchen from a friend of mine a few weeks ago. For those of you who aren’t familiar…Thug Kitchen’s philosophy is “Verbally abusing everyone into a healthier diet” or in simpler terms “Eat like you give a f***.” Whether you find their approach comedic genius or juvenile is beside the point of me sharing. They simply produce amazing recipes that are primarily vegetable based that will absolutely blow you away! My first taste was their minestrone soup. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of minestrone which made it even that more surprising when I continually went back for bowl after delicious bowl. And with the weather quickly dropping to bone chilling temperatures, now is a perfect time for you to try it for yourself. Below is the “PG” rated version in case any of you are offended by “colorful” language…but if not, you’ll want to get a feel for the swagger and attitude they put into their passion. Check them out on Facebook or go directly to their website and get signed up.
Either way try it for yourself…you won’t regret it!
Minestrone Soup – by Thug Kitchen
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced into half moons
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large potato or turnip, cut into dice-size pieces
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 can (14.5 ounces) low-salt diced tomatoes
½ cup dried black lentils
7 cups vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup small pasta shapes, like shells or stars or whatever
5 cups shredded green cabbage or kale
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Juice of ½ lemon
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup minced fresh basil
Ground Pepper
Directions
- Grab a large soup pot and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until the oninon starts to look golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potato, rosemary, garlic, pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook for another 30 minutes to get the garlic going. Add the diced tomatoes and lentils and give it another 30 seconds.
- Now, pour in all the broth and let it come to a simmer. Reduce the heat and let that go at a gentle pace until the lentils are almost cooked but the potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Next, add the salt, pasta, and cabbage (if you are using kale, don’t add it yet) and keep the pot gently simmering until the pasta is cooked all the way, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your pasta. (If you are using kale, fold it into the pot after the pasta is all cooked and let that pot simmer for 2 more minutes).
- Add the vinegar and lemon juice, stir well, and remove from the heat. Fold in the parsley and basil and let the pot sit for a minute or two. Taste to see whatever else it might need, like pepper or rosemary to taste. Pull out the bay leaf and serve right away.