{"id":20440,"date":"2010-09-15T08:44:40","date_gmt":"2010-09-15T15:44:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mehallo.com\/blog\/?p=20440"},"modified":"2010-09-15T01:15:11","modified_gmt":"2010-09-15T08:15:11","slug":"san-francisco-minestrone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mehallo.com\/blog\/archives\/20440","title":{"rendered":"San Francisco Minestrone"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Here\u2019s a little piece of San Francisco that only a local would know about. <\/p>\n

Riviera \u2018Authentic San Francisco\u2019 Minestrone<\/a> has been around since 1934. The green cans used to show up in drug stores and markets. Made from an old Italian family recipe.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a rustic, bean-based soup with Swiss chard, noodles and a deep meaty flavor. It\u2019s owned by the Birds Eye<\/a> food company \u2013 and recently, they were even carrying it with a Nalley label (above, right). <\/p>\n

Unfortunately, any form of the Riviera \u2018Original Recipe\u2019 Minestrone has been off the market<\/a> for a few months now \u2013 and the Riviera \u2018Authentic San Francisco Soup\u2019 brand<\/a> is now selling more mainstream canned soup flavors. <\/p>\n

Luckily, I have a recipe of my own. <\/p>\n


\nSoup ingredients, today<\/em><\/p>\n

Almost 20 years ago, I decided to craft my own take on this \u2018San Francisco\u2019 soup. With can label in hand, I took apart the ingredients \u2013 thumbed thru a few cookbooks – and came up with a decent substitute.<\/p>\n

Interesting to note, the ingredients on the 1990 label were a bit different than what\u2019s been available recently. Less  . . .  \u2018artificial flavoring.\u2019<\/p>\n

My own version is not quite a clone. The result is a similar dish, a bit more chunky and just as hearty. Tho as I was once making the soup, my friend Ray Savage wrote another name for it across the top of my recipe:<\/p>\n

mehallo\u2019s san francisco minestrone
\nor ‘how ray died’<\/em><\/p>\n

ingredients<\/strong><\/p>\n

2 1\/2 pounds pork chops
\n3 or 4 boneless chicken thighs
\n2 strips good bacon<\/p>\n

Sliced garlic cloves
\n4 or 5 chopped carrots<\/p>\n

Olive oil<\/p>\n

A chopped onion
\nSome chopped leeks
\nSome chopped shallots
\nFew handfuls of chopped swiss chard
\nFew handfuls of spring salad mix
\nSome shredded cabbage
\nFresh parsley
\nFresh basil
\nFresh rosemary<\/p>\n

3 15 oz. cans pink (or pinto) beans, drained
\nHalf a package of dried lentils<\/p>\n

1 bay leaf
\nA few teaspoons of a good, dry Italian seasoning mix<\/p>\n

2 cans chicken broth
\n1 can beef broth
\nWater<\/p>\n

A good dry pasta (shells or other)<\/p>\n

Juice of 1\/2 lemon
\nSugar, salt, black pepper to taste<\/em><\/p>\n

to make<\/strong><\/p>\n

Put the meats, garlic and carrots in a roasting pan \u2013 drizzle with olive oil \u2013 and throw in the broiler until browned.<\/p>\n

Chop the meats \u2013 remove the bones from the pork chops \u2013 and add the roasted ingredients to a large soup pot. Tie the roasted pork bones together and also place in the pot.<\/p>\n

Add the rest of the fresh ingredients, plus the beans, lentils, bay leaf, seasoning and chicken\/beef broth. Cover all with water and simmer for around 90 minutes.<\/p>\n

Separately, boil the pasta in a pot of salted water per package directions, but slightly undercook. Drain and set aside.<\/p>\n

After 90 minutes, remove and discard the pork bones and bay leaf from the soup. Transfer about a third (or half) of the soup to a food processor and blend. Add the thick mix back to the pot, add the lemon juice, sugar, salt (it may need a lot) and black pepper to taste. Simmer a bit more, stir in the cooked pasta and enjoy.<\/p>\n

Variants: Try adding Italian sausage, chopped hard boiled eggs, some peppers or different types of beans.<\/p>\n


\nServing suggestion: Cover the final soup with mozzarella and broil in oven<\/em><\/p>\n\r\n\t

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