Try this recipe from Nate Appleman’s “A16 Food and Wine” for a hearty meal.

Ingredients

Serves 6 as a first course, or 4 as a main course

* Coarse salt
* 4 ounces (1/2 bunch) dandelion greens, coarsely chopped
* 1 bunch (6 ounces) rapini, tough stems removed and coarsely chopped
* 6 cups coarsely chopped cabbage (about 1/2 head)
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 ounce pancetta, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
* 2 cups Cheese Brodo
* 1 cup Prosciutto Brodo

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add dandelion greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer greens to a colander to drain. Add rapini to boiling water and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a wire skimmer, transfer rapini to a colander to drain. Add cabbage to boiling water and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain and set greens aside.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until celery and garlic are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Stir in greens and both brodos. Let simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs during the last 5 minutes of cooking, if desired.
3. Ladle soup into warmed bowls; drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

Reference : marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Makes 10 cups; serves 8

* FOR THE BEANS
* 3/4 cup dried cannellini beans (5 ounces)
* 1/2 large onion
* 1 bay leaf
* FOR THE SOFFRITTO
* 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large rib celery, very finely chopped
* 1 medium carrot, very finely chopped
* 1 large onion, very finely chopped
* FOR THE SOUP
* 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch slices, rinsed well
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 large ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 2 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
* 6 ounces small red potatoes (about 7), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch slices
* 4 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
* 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice, crushed
* 1 bunch (5 ounces) Tuscan kale (also called cavolo nero), stemmed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
* 1/4 head savoy cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
* 4 cups Vegetable Stock
* 1 rind (3 inches) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* Pesto

Directions

1. Make beans: Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. Drain. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in large saucepan. Add beans, onion, and bay leaf. Reduce heat; simmer until beans are just tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving beans and 4 cups liquid. Discard solids from beans, and cover beans.
2. Make soffritto: Heat oil in a stockpot over medium-low heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Make soup: Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high; add celery, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and green beans. Cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved bean liquid, the tomatoes and juice, kale, cabbage, stock, cheese rind, and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 1 hour.
4. Add beans. Cover; cook until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Serve topped with pesto if desired. Minestrone can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days; thin with water if needed before reheating.

Reference : marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

* 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 2 stalks celery, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1/2 bulb fennel, cut into 1-by-1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 can (35 ounces) whole tomatoes, lightly crushed
* 8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
* 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 bunches Swiss chard leaves, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
* 2 cups cooked tubetti pasta, for serving
* Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in an 8-quart stock pot over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, fennel, potatoes, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and their juices, stock, and cannellini beans; season with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in vinegar and Swiss chard; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta evenly between 6 to 8 bowls. Ladle over soup and garnish with cheese. Serve immediately.

Reference : marthastewart.com

Ingredients

Makes 6 cups

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped
* 24 ounces canned whole plum tomatoes
* 3 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
* 2 teaspoons sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Working in batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Serve immediately.

Reference : marthastewart.com

Yield: 4

Ingredients

* 1  tablespoon  olive oil
* 1 1/2  pounds  mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1  onion, chopped
* 3  cloves garlic, minced
* 1/3  cup  dry white wine
* 1 1/2  cups  canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (from a 15-ounce can)
* 1/2  teaspoon  salt
* 1/2  teaspoon  fresh-ground black pepper
* 1/4  cup  chopped fresh parsley
* 1  cup  light cream
* 1  pound  rigatoni
* Grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat.

2. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it almost evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage,tomatoes, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the pepper, parsley, and cream.

3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until just done, about 14 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Wine Recommendation: A Chianti Classico Riserva is the wine of choice with this dish. Look for a wine with a few years of age; it will be mellower and will complement the sauce better than a younger wine could.

Reference : find.myrecipes.com