Minestrone Soup--Emeril

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, split in half and rinsed well under
• running water, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
• 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 large celery ribs, roughly chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, cubed, about 1 1/4 cups
• 1 medium yellow squash, cubed, about 1 1/4 cups
• 10 cups vegetable stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 2 Parmesan cheese rinds, about 5 by 2-inches
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 medium new potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (6 ounces or 1 1/4cups cubed)
• 2 cups packed fresh chopped kale leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1/4 cup small, dried pasta such as ditalini
• 1/2 cup Great Northern beans, soaked overnight or 1 (15-ounce) can white
• beans, drained and rinsed
• Garlic loaf for serving if desired, recipe follows