Minestroni

Diane Ridge

YIELD: 20 gallons

3 cups olive oil
3 lbs. fresh onions, diced
1 1/2 lbs. fresh leeks, sliced
12 oz. fresh fennel bulb, sliced
3 lbs. fresh carrots, diced
1 1/2 lbs. celery, diced
3 Tbsps. garlic, chopped
6 cans diced tomatoes
3 lbs. green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, cleaned
1 lb. fresh green bell peppers, diced
1 cup dried whole oregano
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced
1 oz. fresh rosemary
4 each bay leaves
1 oz. ground black pepper
2 lbs. mushroom (vegetarian) or vegetable chicken soup base, prepared according to manufacturer's directions, using 5 gals. of water 4 lbs. elbow macaroni
2 #10 cans garbanzo beans
3 #10 cans kidney beans
2 #10 cans great northern beans
3 cans V-8 juice (46 oz.)
16 Tbsps. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe from Robin Margolin, Associate Director UMC Food Service, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO.