Vegetable Soup (Lidia Bastianich)

Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy; Liguria

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Yields: 4 quarts

Ingredients

• 1  medium onion, cut in chunks
• 8  plump garlic cloves, peeled
• 1⁄3 cup fresh basil leaf, preferably small leaf Genovese basil
• 1⁄4 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1⁄2 cups  finely chopped celery
• 2  cups  finely chopped carrots
• 2  cups  chopped fresh ripe tomatoes
• 3  cups  peeled diced  red potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb.)
• 6  cups cold water
• 2  tablespoons kosher salt
•  parmigiano-reggiano cheese, rind (card-sized, can also use pecorino, Grana Padano)
• 4  cups frisee, cut into bite-size pieces (aka curley chicory leaves)
• 5  ounces fresh spinach
• 2  cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
•  freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for serving
•  extra virgin olive oil, best quality for serving

Directions

1. Add onion chunks, garlic cloves, basil, parsley, and 1/4 cup olive oil in the food processor bowl; chop to a chunky-textured pesto.
2. Add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into large soup pot, set over med-high heat; scrape in the pesto; cook, stirring often, as it sizzles and dries, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lift the rehydrated porcini from the soaking liquid (strain/reserve the liquid) and chop into fine bits.
4. When the pesto just begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, drop the porcini, the chopped celery, carrots, tomato, and diced potatoes into the pot, and stir well.
5. Cook over high heat, stirring until the potatoes become crusty and start to stick to the bottom.
6. Pour in the cold water and the porcini soaking liquid; stir in the salt and heat the water to a vigorous bubble.
7. Drop in the cheese rind, partially cover the pot, and adjust to maintain a steady bubbling.
8. Cook 45 minutes to 1 hour--until the vegetables begin to break down; add the chicory, spinach, and peas.
9. Return to a bubbling boil, and cook 30 minutes longer, until the broth is concentrated and flavorful and the total volume has reduced by about a quarter.
10. Ladle the simmering soup into warm bowls; sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of freshly grated cheese over each portion, and finish with a swirl of excellent olive oil; pass more grated cheese at the table.