Fall minestrone my way

Ingredients

For baked squash*:
250 g red kuri squash, medium size pieces
10 ml grape seed oil
2 tsp crema di balsamico
smoked sea salt
freshly ground pepper
2 rosemary sprigs

for the soup:
20 ml grape seed oil
30 g peeled onion, finely chopped
30 g peeled garlic, roughly chopped
200 g red kuri squash, half cut into small pieces and half into larger**
200 g finely cut carrot
3 tbsp tomato paste
140 g canned tomato pieces
3 BIO Maggi Herbs stock cubes
1700 ml hot water
1 bay leaf
150 g barley***
240 g canned chickpeas
150 g kale, torn into pieces
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare

Heat the oven 210°, if baking the squash. Mix all the squash ingredients together, place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and ready. Remove.

Heat the oil in a pot, add onion, garlic, and a bit of salt. Sautèfor 10 minutes on low heat. Add carrots and pumpkin, turn up the heat, and fry for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, crumbled stock cubes, and cook for 2 more minutes, mixing all the time. Add tomatoes, water, bay leaf, barley, and boil until barley is almost done, but not less than 25 minutes. Then add chickpeas, kale, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve on a plate topped with baked squash and some cheese if you wish. 

* This part is optional. You can just add this squash to the boiling soup, but I love the texture and taste of baked in the soup.
** the small pieces will melt away and make the soup creamier
*** wash the barley in cold water until the water runs clear. 

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s
In partnership with Maggi