Brunoise Minestrone with Hand-Cut Pesto
This is not the rustic minestrone Nonna used to toss together on Sunday mornings; it is the refined version she prepared when the archbishop came to s...
6 servings
Italian Cuisine
🟠Advanced★★★★☆
Aug 3, 2025
27 views
Ingredients
🥬
800 g
San Marzano tomatoes
whole, peeled, passed through food mill
🥩
1 piece
Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
3-inch piece, cleaned
🥩
30 g
Parmigiano-Reggiano
aged 24 months, finely grated
🥬
1 small
Yukon Gold potato
brunoise cut, 2mm dice
🌾
1 loaf
ciabatta bread
for serving
🥬
1 medium
yellow onion
brunoise cut, 2mm dice
🥬
1 small
zucchini
brunoise cut, 2mm dice
🥬
2 medium
carrots
brunoise cut, 2mm dice
🥬
1 small clove
garlic
for pesto
🥬
2 stalks
celery ribs
brunoise cut, 2mm dice
🫒
60 ml
extra virgin olive oil
plus more for finishing
💧
1.2 L
vegetable stock
homemade, kept at gentle simmer
🥬
3 cloves
garlic cloves
minced to paste
🥬
to taste
freshly ground black pepper
🌶️
40 g
fresh basil leaves
Genovese variety preferred
🌶️
to taste
sea salt
📦
25 g
pine nuts
lightly toasted
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
Begin by creating the perfect brunoise: using a razor-sharp chef's knife, square off each carrot and celery rib by removing rounded edges. Stack the trimmed pieces and cut into 2mm planks, then into 2mm batons, then into perfect 2mm cubes. Reserve in separate bowls, keeping vegetables segregated for precise timing later.
Step 2
Heat a heavy-bottomed 4-liter pot over medium-low flame. Add extra virgin olive oil and wait until it shimmers like silk—approximately 2 minutes. The oil should coat the bottom but not smoke.
Step 3
Add the yellow onion first; this creates the aromatic base. Stir gently with a wooden spoon, listening for the quiet sizzle that indicates proper temperature. Cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent but without color—if you see browning, reduce heat immediately.
Step 4
Add the celery ribs and carrots to the pot, maintaining the same gentle heat. These harder vegetables need 6-7 minutes to release their sweetness. Stir every 30 seconds to prevent browning; you're building flavor through extraction, not caramelization.
Step 5
Create a well in the center of the vegetables and add the minced garlic cloves. Let it toast for exactly 30 seconds until fragrant, then incorporate into the vegetables. This technique prevents the garlic from burning while maximizing its essence.
Step 6
Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes all at once. The tomatoes should slide into the pot like lava. Increase heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw tomato taste dissipates and the mixture thickens slightly.
Step 7
Add the vegetable stock in a slow stream, stirring to marry the flavors. Bring to the gentlest possible simmer—bubbles should barely break the surface, like champagne gone flat. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind.
Step 8
Maintain this whisper-soft simmer for 90 minutes, skimming any foam that appears. The broth should reduce by one-third, concentrating flavor without becoming cloudy. Taste every 20 minutes, adjusting with sea salt.
Step 9
While the broth develops, prepare the remaining vegetables: cut the Yukon Gold potato and zucchini into identical 2mm brunoise. Keep them submerged in cold water to prevent oxidation.
Step 10
After 90 minutes, strain the broth through a fine-mesh chinois into a clean pot. Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Add the Yukon Gold potato and cook for 7 minutes—these denser cubes need a head start.
Step 11
Add the zucchini and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. All vegetables should retain their distinct shape but yield to the gentlest pressure. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 12
For the pesto, pound the pine nuts with the garlic in a marble mortar until paste-like. Add fresh basil leaves in three additions, pounding until the mixture releases its oils and becomes a vibrant emerald paste. Transfer to a bowl and fold in Parmigiano-Reggiano, then drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while stirring until glossy.
Step 13
Warm six soup bowls by filling them with hot water for 2 minutes, then emptying. Ladle the minestrone gently into each bowl, ensuring equal distribution of the brunoise vegetables.
Step 14
Using two spoons, quenelle the pesto into small ovals and float three per bowl. Finish with a thread of the finest extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately with torn ciabatta.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★The 2mm brunoise is not arbitrary: at this size, vegetables cook in exactly 7-11 minutes, maintaining perfect texture. Practice on a single carrot first—stack your cuts and use a ruler until muscle memory develops.
- ★Temperature control is paramount: maintain the broth at 85-90°C throughout. At this temperature, pectin in vegetables breaks down slowly, releasing sweetness without clouding the broth. Use a thermometer until you can recognize the proper simmer by sight.
- ★Never blend the pesto with the soup—it must remain a bright, raw contrast. The garlic in the pesto provides enzymatic compounds that create a fleeting but essential bridge between the cooked and raw elements.
- ★The Parmigiano-Reggiano rind contains glutamates that add profound umami. Don't discard it after simmering; rinse, dry, and save for grating over pasta—the flavor concentration is extraordinary.
- ★For restaurant-style presentation, warm your bowls to 65°C. This prevents the soup from cooling too quickly and maintains the perfect serving temperature where flavors bloom most expressively.
souptechniquevegetarianadvancedknife-skillspestominestroneitalian