Farro Minestrone

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup farro (soaked for 1 hour, then drained)

handful of sliced mushrooms

1 cup of dried beans (soaked and pressure cooked) or 1 can - I like kidney beans and white beans

3-4 celery stalks, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped or julienned

2 cups string beans (long cut: 3-4 inches)

1 cup spinach 

1 yellow onion (chopped)

1/2 green pepper (chopped)

1/2 large tomato (chopped)

2 tbsp tomato paste

3-4 garlic cloves

handful of fresh parsley

2 thai chili peppers (fresh or dried)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp fresh whole peppercorn

a pinch of dried spices (I used oregano and parsley)

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 cups vegetable stock or water

Directions: 

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add the onion and garlic (and chopped chili if only using fresh version). Cook, stirring, for three to five minutes until onion begins to soften. Add the rest of the vegetables (except spinach and tomato) and cover. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes until the mixture is tender and fragrant. Add the whole chili pepper (if using dried version), and cook, stirring, for a minute until fragrant. Add remaining vegetables, the farro, the rest of the spices, tomato paste and the water or stock. Bring to a boil, add salt, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour until the farro is tender and the soup fragrant. If it seems too thick, thin out with more water or stock. Add pepper, and adjust salt. Stir in the parsley. Serve with cheese or not!  (Try to avoid the whole dried peppers, bay leaf and peppercorn.  If you prefer, you can make a small bouquet garni of the dried spices and take it out before serving).