- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 courgette
- 200g runner beans
- 1 garlic clove
- 200g chard
- 200g unsmoked lardons
- 150g pearl barley
- 1 chicken stock cube
- A handful of basil, leaves only
- A handful of mint, leaves only
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp half fat crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 ltr boiling water
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion and carrot. Cut the courgette into small pieces. Trim and finely slice the runner beans. Peel and grate the garlic.
- 2.
Separate the chard leaves and stalks. Finely slice the stalks and roughly chop the leaves.
- 3.
Pour1 tbsp olive oil into a large pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the lardons and fry for 3-4 mins, turning occasionally, till golden on all sides.
- 4.
Slide in the garlic, carrot, onion, chard stalks and courgette along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for a further 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
- 5.
Tip the barley into the pan and pour over 1 ltr boiling water. Crumble in the stock cube and stir well. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 20 mins.
- 6.
Add the runner beans and chard leaves to the pan and stir well. Cook for a further 2 mins.
- 7.
Roughly chop the basil and mint leaves and stir most of them through the soup. Grate in the zest from the lemon.
- 8.
Ladle the minestrone into bowls, topping with the remaining herbs and a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve with wedges of the zested lemon.