Recipe: Minestrone Soup Like Carrabba's (2)

MINESTRONE SOUP LIKE CARRABBA'S

1 oz. butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 pound celery (1/2-inch cubes)
1/4 pound onion (1/2-inch cubes)
1/2 pound carrot (1/2-inch cubes)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 pound fresh green beans (1-inch long)
1 pound Savoy cabbage, cored (2-inch squares)
1/4 pound zucchini (1/2-inch cubes)
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped basil
1 gallon chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 pound tomato (1/2-inch cubes)
1 to 2 oz. prosciutto ham
1 to 2 oz. Romano rind
1 pound potatoes, peeled (1/2-inch cubes)
1 (1 lb) can kidney beans
1 (1 lb) can garbanzo beans
1 (1 lb) can cannellini beans
2 oz. grated Romano cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Heat butter and oil and saute celery, onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until soft.

Add green beans, cabbage, zucchini, parsley and basil and cook until soft.

Add chicken stock, bay leaf, tomatoes, prosciutto, Romano rind, and potatoes. Allow soup to boil and immediately reduce to simmer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Add canned beans with their juices and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove Romano rind and prosciutto. Add grated Romano cheese, stirring constantly.

Adapted from source: Source: Uncle Phaedrus

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Try this.. it comes very, very close to the stuff at Carrabba's. :)
Source: Yahoo Answers

MINESTRONE LIKE CARRABBAS

Start with a basic Mire poix (diced onions, carrots, and celery) and garlic, they are first sweated in unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil.

Then green beans, cabbage, and zucchini are added and softened.

Then you add soup stock (vegetable or chicken) bay leaves, salt, pepper, potatoes, diced tomatoes, ham hock, and a chunk of Romano cheese. Allow to cook until potatoes are soft.

Remove the cheese rind and ham hock, and add cannellini beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans (all canned with their juices), stir in grated Romano and serve.

If you are vegetarian you can leave out the ham hock, but it does add a depth of flavour that is yummy. :)