Minestrone with broccoli

There comes a day, when a large pot of soup is the right thing to do. Since I'm feeling Italian lately, I made minestrone, which sounds more like an opera piece. Instead, it is a thick, vegetable soup, usually with pasta, rice or beans, that tastes...almost as good as pizza.

Recipe adapted from Gray Apron (originally by Giada de Laurentiis)
time: 40 min

 ingredients 

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup dry lentils, cooked with salt added at the end
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
1 thin slice prosciutto, chopped
1 Parmesan rind (about 30g/1oz)
4 cups (1 l) boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt
florets (with no stems) from 1 medium broccoli head
1 can (400 ml/14 oz) diced tomatoes in juices
3 Tablespoons olive oil
grated Parmesan for topping

 instructions 

In a large pot, heat oil over medium/high. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery and ham. Saute till onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 

Add potatoes and broccoli florets. Saute for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, blend 3/4 of the lentils with some water till almost smooth. Add blended lentils, remaining water and Parmesan rind. Simmer (with a lid on ajar) for about 15 minutes till potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Add whole lentils. Cook for another 2 minutes, season to taste and serve with grated Parmesan.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES 

• I never seems to have homemade broth at hand...but a piece of Parmesan rind does the trick: the soup is rich in taste with only little salt added;
• a slice of prosciutto helps too;
• all the vegetables (but tomatoes and lentils) are tender or even al dente, nothing is overcooked;
• I tend to make my soups thick with content; they photograph better and...I get little impatient eating just liquid or fishing for a piece of potato when hungry.