Dehydrated Minestrone

Courtesy of A Fork in the Trail

Dehydration Time: 7–10 hours

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 tablespoons celery leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups canned tomatoes (with juice)
1 tablespoon parsley
1 sprig fresh rosemary
30 grams Parmesan cheese rind
450 grams Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped
3 cups low-sodium beef or vegetable stock
2 cups tinned beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

At Home: Add the onions, carrots, potatoes, and celery to a large the pot and stir. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the celery leaves and garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, and cheese rind and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the Swiss chard and 2 cups of the stock. Purée half of the beans with 1 cup remaining stock in a blender or food processor. Pour into the pot and simmer until the potatoes are cooked. Then add the remaining whole beans to the pot and heat through. Remove the cheese rind and the rosemary sprig. Allow the soup to cool.

Measure the soup and write this measurement on a sticky note. Pour the soup onto lined dehydrator trays and dry for 7 to 10 hours or until no moisture remains. Put the dried soup in a ziplock freezer bag along with the sticky note.

At Camp: Add enough boiling water to the soup mix to equal the measurement on your sticky note. Do not add the water first or you will have too much liquid. Once the soup has rehydrated, heat it through and serve. Garnish the soup with some shaved Parmesan.