Scarlette Bean’s Minestrone Soup in Se7en Steps…

We love and adore this book… We have read it so many times that it is worn quite thin!!! And I guess I am going to be reading it for a number of years…


“Scarlette Beane (Picture Puffins)” (Karen Wallace)

When little Scarlette Beane is born she has a face as red as a beetroot and her fingers are green… and Mrs Beane declares that “She will grow tall and strong and do something wonderful.” Well Scarlette’s mom was so right, little Scarlette Beane has growing power and every thing she touches grows. For her fifth birthday she gets a garden patch and in it she grows the most amazingly huge wonderful vegetables… They harvest her onions with forklifts and her carrots with tractors and make a giant soup for the whole village in a concrete mixer…

DSC_0468

And here is our version of Scarlette Beane’s Soup:

Let’s Meet the Players:

DSC_0439

  • A heap of vegetables:
    • onions,
    • garlic,
    • celery
    • cabbage,
    • potatoes,
    • carrots,
    • zuchinni,
    • beans,
    • tomatoes,
    • spinach.
  • A can of beans, drained;
  • A packet of small noodles;
  • A packet of beef chunks, or bacon or churizo sausage.

Let’s Play the Game:

  1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package and when it is done drain it and leave it on the side till you are ready with the vegetables.
  2. While the pasta is cooking you can start working on the vegetables… Finely chop the onions and garlic.
  3. Don’t just chop the tomatoes, take a little longer and peel them. Make a cross on the top of the tomato and pop it in hot water for a minute or two. Drain the water off and let them cool. Once they are cooled off you can peel them easily and chop them.
  4. DSC_0447DSC_0452DSC_0457

  5. Everything else sliver, slice, chop… This is fab fun I will say it again: great to have a friend or two to help with…
  6. DSC_0444DSC_0445DSC_0446DSC_0448

    DSC_0455

  7. When everything is ready heat the onions and garlic on low, let then soften for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes and let them soak a little longer.
  8. DSC_0459

  9. When the tomatoes and onions are ready pop all the other vegetables into the pop and add enough water to cover them. Leave them to simmer away till they are soft but still colorful.
  10. Add the beans into the pot and just before you pop the pasta into the pot too, just long enough to heat them through.
  11. DSC_0466

    And the Se7en + 1th Step…

  12. There are people in my house that would rather die than eat a vegetable crop for dinner – well just one person… and for that person I added beef chunks, but you could add bacon or churizo sausage… just the hope that there is something meaty, potentially lurking in his bowl means he will be able to eat it up and I for one am quite prepared to compromise!!!

DSC_0443

This should be called the friendly soup… it is just the perfect meal to gather together and chop and cook and munch together!!!
DSC_0441

Have fun!!!

5 Replies to “Scarlette Bean’s Minestrone Soup in Se7en Steps…”

  1. soups looks scrumpious! And I have put the book on hold at my local library, looks like a fun read! Thank you!

  2. Oh Jocelyn… You will love the book… let me know when you get it what you thought of it!!! Have a fabulous week!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *