Serves 4

Ingredients
4 tbsps olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g butter beans, soaked overnight
1 small turnip, cut into cubes
2 celery sticks, cut into cubes
1 fennel bulb, shredded
120g cabbage, cut into strips
100g cannellini beans, soaked overnight
12 cherry tomatoes
150g lamb leg, diced
50g Pecorino cheese
4 eggs to garnish
1 litre vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
white vinegar

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic, the soaked beans and cover with the vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer gently for one hour. Strain the beans and set aside the liquid.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan, add the cabbage, fennel, celery, turnips and lamb.

Pour in the strained liquid, add the cooked beans, cherry tomatoes and cook gently for 15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan with water to boil, add some vinegar and poach the eggs for three minutes. Once cooked drain well.

Just before serving the minestrone, stir in the Pecorino cheese.

Pour into four bowls, drizzle a little olive oil over each portion and top with a poached egg. Garnish with lemon and serve with potato crisps.

Joe Vella is an Executive chef, Hilton Malta.