Breakfast Menu

Lunch Menu

Dinner Menu

'Sharing Monterey'
The Sacramento Bee

By Teri Watson

Joann Truesdel of Sacramento says she enjoyed the best minestrone soup ever, at Rosine's, a family-run restaurant in Monterey. She was hoping the restaurant would share its recipe.

Chef Jim Culcasi sent the recipe for this popular main-dish soup, published in the restaurant's cookbook, "Rosine's Cuisine" by Renee M. Davi. If you would like to order this cookbook, send $18.95 (includes postage and handling) with your name and address to Rosine's Restaurant, 434 Alvarado St., Monterey, CA 93940.

You may freeze a portion of this delicious soup to have on hand for another time. Cooked pasta may be substituted for the uncooked pasta. Just add to the soup a few-minutes before serving.

Rosine's Hearty Ministrone

1 pound kidney, pink or white beans
4 quarts water or beef stock
3 pounds chuck roast, cut into large pieces
3 (14 1/2 ounces each) cans stewed tomatoes
5 (8 ounces each) cans tomato sauce
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon sweet basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons salt
5 teaspoons sugar
11/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cabbage, chopped
3 cups bell peppers, chopped
2 cups carrots, diced
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 pound small elbow macaroni or shells; or spaghetti or fettucine, broken Into 1-inch lengths

Rinse the beans in a large soup kettle or saucepan, discarding any beans, skins or stems that float to the top. Drain. Add the water or beef stock, meat, stewed tomatoes (break them up with fingers as you add them), tomato sauce, bay leaves, sweet basil, oregano, black pepper, salt, sugar and garlic powder. Bring to a boil. Cover and keep at a slow boil for 1 hour, or until beans are tender. Add vegetables. Simmer uncovered for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Taste for flavor and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Using a large soup spoon or ladle, remove meat from soup. Add the pasta and cook until tender. Cut the meat into bite size pieces then return to soup.

Back to Rosine's In The News