Autumn minestrone with celery leaf-walnut pesto
It’s hard to make brown, stewed or plain-looking food look yum, and making food look yum is always the mandate in this crowded online space, no? There is just so much purdy food out there and we don’t pretend to compete. But what this humble soup lacks in Lights! Camera! Action perfection, it makes up for in so many other ways; mainly in the flavour department, And isn’t that the most critical one? So yeah, the soup's not glam, the photography’s guerrilla and it’s a style-free zone. However this main course minestrone, with origins in the use-everything philosophy of cucina povera, is easy, thrifty, filling, nutritious and it does taste mighty good, plain ingredients notwithstanding. Make plenty so there’s leftovers to freeze; the pasta doesn’t do so well with this process but you’ll cope with it a bit flabby. Or, simply halve the recipe if you prefer.
SERVES 4
4 chicken drumsticks (about 650g)
4 celery stalks, trimmed and peeled
500g all-purpose potatoes (about 3), scrubbed
60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
100g (¾ cup) dried tubetti rigati, or other tiny, tubular pasta, preferably bronze-extruded*
Celery leaf-walnut pesto
½ cup firmly packed pale celery leaves
½ cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
60g (½ cup) walnut halves
80g (¾ cup) finely grated parmesan
100ml extra virgin olive oil, approximately
For the celery leaf and walnut pesto, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, adding little more olive oil if necessary. Season to taste, transfer to a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside.**
Put the chicken drumsticks in a large saucepan, then add 1.25 litre (5 cups) water, or enough to just cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Strain, reserving the stock. Cool the chicken.
Meanwhile, cut the celery and potatoes into small pieces (about 5mm). Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and celery, then cover the pan. Cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes or until the celery has softened, then add the potatoes. Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
While the veggies cook, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta for 9-10 minutes until tender, or according to the packet directions. Drain well. While the pasta is cooking, strip the meat from the chicken legs, discarding the skin and bones, then chop the meat into 1cm pieces. Add the chicken, chickpeas and pasta to the soup, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to heat everything through, then divide among large bowls.Top with the pesto and serve,
*this is simply pasta that is shaped by extrusion through bronze dies, which gives a rougher, more porous surface so that sauce better clings to it. Basically, avoid any pasta with a shiny, smooth, yellowy surface. Blech.
**You can make this in advance; it will keep, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.
