| By: Chris Phillips Source: Christopher Phillips  This is a soup course, meaning it's meant to be served before the main entree. You could also use it as an entree but if you do I would double the amount of meat and vegetables you put into it, so that it's more satisfying. 1333 Views |
Directions
Makes: 6 servings
Boil 1 gallon of salted water with a little olive oil. Cook pasta to al dente (about 7 minutes), cool rapidly and set aside. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for later.
Ingredients:
1 cup Small Shells Pasta, Anything small will do, including orzo, alphabets, or whatever you've got. You could also use rice instead.
Heat the olive oil in your 2 quart saucepan and add the onion and veggies all at once. Add the salt and stir in then immediately cover and steam for about 2-3 minutes. This is called "sweating" the vegetables and it prevents caramelization of the onions, which would make this particular dish bitter.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, sliced french style, which means cut in half and then each half sliced WITH (not ACROSS) the grain.
2 Celery Ribs, diced 1/8"
1 Carrot, diced 1/8"
1⁄4 teaspoon Kosher Salt, if using regular salt, use half. If using homemade chicken stock, you might want more. Taste it and see.
Add in the stock, water, beans, tomatoes, wine, and shrimp
Ingredients:
1 quart Chicken Stock, I buy premade but homemade is better. Make a big batch of stock and freeze it!
1 cup Warm Water, Use the pasta cooking water from the first step, if you didn't throw it out!
1 can Canned Cannellini Beans, Including liquids
1 can Canned Diced Tomatoes with Italian Herbs
4 ounces Shrimp, 71/90, cooked and peeled. I usually use frozen pre-cooked or canned shrimp here.
1⁄2 cup Red Wine, This enhances the tomato flavor, but if you object to using alcohol you may certainly omit this ingredient.
Add the pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer (about 175 degrees F) reduce heat and then add the fresh herbs, cover, and hold at the lowest heat setting until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
1⁄4 teaspoon Garlic Powder, or 2 cloves smashed and minced. If using fresh garlic, put it in with the onions and veggies.
1⁄4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or more to taste
2 sprigs Fresh Italian Parsley
1 sprig Fresh Oregano
1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
Chris Phillips