RECIPE: Dual Consistency and Regular Easy to Chew- Minestrone

Who doesn't love a soul warming, chunky (and dual consistency) soup right when the seasons are beginning to turn?! 🌧️ ☔️

To back up our last blog post on dual consistencies, I chose this table winner as the perfect demonstration. Minestrone qualifies as a regular easy to chew dish but given its juicy broth, is also considered a dual consistency.

In this recipe, I had to make sure the beans were added at the very last minute. I couldn't allow them to simmer away with the rest of the soup at the risk of the skins peeling off and becoming a choking risk. But in saying that, other than the beans, a recipe that you can let simmer away on the stove is such an easy way to cook and you're almost guaranteed a soft texture.

Very clearly, you could scoop and separate the liquid from the solids in this dish making it, overtly, a dual consistency. As explained in the last post, these kinds of recipes sometimes need to be avoided for safety reasons and recommendations from your speech pathologist should always be considered before presuming what may or may not be appropriate.

Don't forget, the parsley is for display and is not considered a part of a regular easy to chew diet. Also, don't skimp on the cheese when serving. It adds a beautiful depth to the serve and will hardly change the consistency of the meal.

Minestrone

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 fennel, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tin diced tomatoes

2 cups of chicken stock

1 tin kidney beans

1 tin borlotti or butter beans

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in the pot over the stove.

2. Add the onion and sauté for approximately 3 minutes or until translucent.

3. Add the garlic and sauté for a further 1 minute.

4. Add the fennel and carrot and coat in oil, sauté for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the tin of tomatoes. Rinse out the tin with approximately half a cup of water and add it to the soup pot.

6. Add the chicken stock to the pot and stir then bring to the boil.

7. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Rinse both tins of beans and add the beans to the pot. Warm for 3-5 minutes before turning off the heat to avoid the skins coming away from the beans.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dusting of parmesan cheese 🐭🧀