Serves 6

Ingredients

225g ( 8 oz ) haricot beans, soaked overnight in water
60 ml ( 4 tablespoons) olive oil or rapeseed oil
2 garlic cloves, shopped or crushed
1 large onion, chopped
3 – 4 sticks celery, sliced
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 courgette, chopped
450 g ( 1 lb ) tomatoes, skinned ( see below ) , seeded and chopped
125 g ( 4 oz ) green beans
125 g ( 4 oz ) cabbage, shredded
1.7 liters ( 3 pints ) vegetable stock from cubes
1 rasher lean back bacon, chopped into small pieces
75 g ( 3 oz ) small pasta shapes or spaghetti broken into small pieces
8 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook the garlic and onion in the oil in a large pan until soft. Add the remaining vegetables, mix well, add the stock and bacon and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered,  until the vegetables are almost tender. This should take about 40 minutes. Stir in the drained beans and the spaghetti or pasta and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Note: to skin tomatoes easily, drop them for about a minute into just-boiled water, then remove them with a slotted spoon and drop them into cold water. In another minute or so their skins should come off in your fingers, though you many need the point of a kitchen knife to start the process off

Vegetarians can leave the bacon out of this recipe and make an equally delicious soup for a cold winter’s day.
The Garlic Effect – Dr Reg Saynor