Minestrone Soup with Chorizo and Truffle - Chef Recipe by Shawn Sheather

Ingredients

1 Tbls olive oil
2 onions finely diced
1/4 bunch Thyme
2 cloves garlic
2 Zucchinis diced
2 long stalks of celery diced
2 carrots pealed and diced
3 x 500g tins of diced roma tomatoes
2 Tbs tomato paste
1kg baby shell pasta
6 x groups of 3 trussed cherry tomatoes
25g shaved Parmesan cheese
1L beef stock
250g of chorizo diced into small cubes
50mL red wine
10mL truffle oil

Method

Vegetable Prep:

I like the vegetables to be visual, this means precision cut, consistent size and shape.

Sauté the mix:

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once oil has come up to heat, sauté the onion for 2 minutes, add 100g thinly cubed chorizo sausages, saute until the onions soften and chorizo is caramelised.

Now add carrots, celery, thyme and garlic, continue sautéeing, add some colour, don’t burn any sides. Cook for about 5 minutes, again don't let anything stick to the pan.

After sautéeing is complete, add red wine and deglaze the pan, then add 5mL truffle oil and stir through.

Add 1/2 the tomato paste to the pan. Add the tinned tomatoes and the beef stock.

Turn heat down and cook on a low simmer for 25 minutes after it starts to simmer.

Stir occasionally until the vegetables are tender.

Sear the Chorizo:

Bring a heavy based sauce pan up to hot, add a little oil and sauté the chorizo.

Blister the tomatoes:

Place cherry tomatoes on a tray, spray with canola oil and place under a hot grill, heat until the skin blisters.

Once soup is cooked add the pasta, once pasta is 3/4 cooked add the zucchini. Cook until the pasta is al dente.

Plating:

Spoon the soup mixture into individual bowls. Add the chorizo and 3 joined cherry tomatoes, finely grate or shave Parmesan, drizzle with truffle oil and serve with bread.

Equipment

Chopping board
Knife
6 bowls, medium to small
Can opener
10L saucepan
Medium fry pan
Oven tray
Heat resistant cloth
Tongs

Credits: AGFG Resident Chef Shawn Sheather

Photo Credits: AGFG Resident Chef Shawn Sheather