Matt Moran

Serving size: Serves 4
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Special options: Kid friendly, Low Carb
Course: Lunch, Main
Favourite flavours: Chicken, Saucy, Soup

Matt Moran's chicken minestrone soup

INGREDIENTS

70 g butter
30 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 medium white onions, diced
1 leek, white part only, well-washed and diced
1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
50 ml wine
1 x 1.6 kg chicken, washed and jointed
1.5 litres chicken stock
salt and pepper
½ punnet baby beans, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, sliced
¼ bunch chervil, chopped
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
2 tarragon sprigs, leaves only, chopped
80 g pistou

Pistou
½ bunch basil, leaves picked
40 g parmesan cheese, grated
40 g pine nuts, roasted
1 small clove garlic, peeled
40 ml olive oil

METHOD

For the pistou, place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until all are combined and put to one side.

To prepare the soup, heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan, add the carrot, onion, leek, celery, garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 3–4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes and reduce the liquid a little. Add the chicken to the pan and cover with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour, then allow to cool for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and allow to cool for a further 30 minutes. Strip the meat from the bone and cut into small pieces, then return it to the soup with the baby beans and asparagus. Stir in the chervil, parsley and tarragon and cook for a further 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the soup into bowls and then mix through a little of the pistou at the last minute. Serve with some crusty bread.