Hot Salad

When I say hot salad, I don’t mean fancy hot bacon-grease-wilting-fresh-spinach hot salad. I am talking about that salad-feeling you get in the summer when you pile so many ripe, juicy fresh things together that you become full without even noticing. When going to the farmers' market and chopping is as good as cooking dinner. I miss that already. I need salad. Hot salad.

So on a jog, a few weeks ago, my brother and I decided we needed to make hot salad with a warm and cozy, fall slant.

My first attempt, two weeks ago, was a simple beef stew. So ordinary and ho-hum that I didn’t want to burden you with reading about it. This week, however, I went for an oldie-but-goody and made a slightly modified version of a minestrone soup that my mom has been making since I can’t remember.

I spruce it up with freshness and green—some kale and fresh parsley to add the healthy hot-salad feeling that I am jonesing for, post summer. I’ll enjoy this hot salad all week long. You should have some too.

Minestrone
¼ cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic, sliced

2 medium onions, diced

2 cups chopped celery (about 5 stalks)

2 cups chopped carrots (about 4 large carrots)
1 t dried oregano

1 t dried basil

1 t cumin
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
5 cups water

1 # dried white beans, cooked

2 t kosher salt
2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy, pot, cook the garlic for a few minutes, and add the onions. 
• Cook until the onions are translucent and add the celery and carrots. Cook for 10 more minutes. 
• Add the oregano, basil, cumin, tomatoes, tomato paste and water, bring to a boil, and simmer on low for about 45 minutes, until carrots are cooked through. 
• Add the cooked beans, salt, kale and parsley and cook until the kale is tender, about 10 minutes. 
• Serve with parmesan cheese and crusty bread.