1/2 c. olive oil
1 c. thinly sliced yellow onion
1 c. diced celery
1 1/2 c. fresh white beans
1 c. diced green beans
2 c. canned beef broth
2/3 c. canned Italian tomatoes, with their juice
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Crust for a 1-2 lb. piece or Parmesan cheese (optional)
3 tbsp. butter
1 c. diced carrots
2 c. peeled diced potatoes
2 c. diced zucchini
3 c. shredded cabbage
4 c. water

Choose a stockpot large enough for all the ingredients. Put in oil, butter, and sliced onion and cook over medium low heat until the onion wilts and is pale gold in color but not browned. Add the diced carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring once or twice. Repeat this procedure with the celery, potatoes, white beans (can substitute 1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans or Great Northern beans rather than fresh), zucchini, and green beans, cooking each one a few minutes and stirring. Then add the shredded cabbage and cook for about 6 minutes, giving the pot an occasional stir.

Add the broth, water, cheese crust, tomatoes, and their juice, and a little bit of salt (go easy on the salt). Cover and cook at a very slow boil for at least 3 hours. If necessary, you can stop the cooking at any time and resume it later on. (Minestrone must never be thin and watery so cook until it is soupy thick. If you should fine the soup is become too thick, you can add more water.)

Fifteen minutes before soup is done, add the canned or cooked fresh beans. Just before turning off the heat remove the cheese crust, swirl in the grated cheese, then taste and correct for salt. Serves 6-8 persons. It keeps up to a week in the refrigerator.