Recipes In Practice: Minestrone
- Buy packet of minestrone soup mix from store. “Cook ground beef, add 8 cups of water and soup mix, bring to boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes.” Seems simple enough.
- But whoever got anywhere by leaving well enough alone? Check the ingredients of the minestrone packet. Onions… carrots… tomatoes… pasta… black beans… all things you have.
- Thaw a block of frozen ground beef in the microwave.
- Chop half an onion and contemplate the misery of the world.
- Chop two carrots as well.
- And a little minced garlic, one or two cloves, certainly won’t hurt.
- Hey, what about that almost-a-can of tomato paste? That can go in too.
- And a can of diced tomatoes and a can of black beans.
- Ground beef’s finally done. Toss it in the pot with some oil and the onion and garlic and fry ‘er up.
- Drain the beans and tomatoes into a measuring cup and fill up to 4 cups.
- Pour the bean and tomato water onto the beef and onions. Add another 4 cups water, the carrots, and the minestrone mix.
- Scoop the tomato paste into the pot. Stir vigorously to get tomato paste unstuck from spoon.
- Toss in a few handfuls of egg noodles while you’re at it.
- Simmering time! Doesn’t seem to be boiling very vigorously. Leave on stove at medium.
- Come back in 20 minutes. Try to stir soup. Discover layer of burnt ingredients at bottom of pot.
- Oh nooooooo
- Remove pot from heat, as without the protective layer of burnt bits, the soup comes to a rapid boil.
- Stir vigorously in attempt to salvage.
- Blackened bits float to top.
- Oh nooooooo
- Eat a bowl anyway. Determine blackened bits have not completely ruined soup.
- Resolve not to do that again.
Tags: recipes in practice failures
