Yesterday, because my basil plants were in dire need of a haircut, I decided to make Soupe au Pistou. It's a French vegetable soup that features fresh, garlicky pesto. It's easy to make. It's beautiful to behold. And it's powerfully delicious!
You can make Soupe au Pistou from any veggies you happen to have on hand. Just keep in mind that every green bean, carrot, and what-have-you must be cut into 1/2-inch pieces. This way, each spoonful of soup will contain a little of each ingredient.
In Provence, where this soup was first created, pesto is traditionally stirred into the pot after cooking is complete. It's an unusual pesto, too, since it contains a peeled and seeded tomato, but no nuts.
True Confession: I'm a culinary anarchist! As proof, I omit the pesto's required tomato. Furthermore, instead of stirring the pesto into the pot, I float a spoonful atop each serving. It makes a shimmering green crown.
If you are French, I hope you'll forgive my blasphemous ways.
Here's the step-by-step:
First, grab 2 large (or 3 medium) leeks...
And cut the white and tender green parts into lengthwise strips. Then slice the strips crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
Note: Not sure how to clean leeks? Check out this nifty tutorial.
Next, obtain a handful of green beans...
And give the best bean to your best friend.
Lily the Beagle is currently dieting. Check out her weight-loss plan.
Trim off stems, and then cut the beans into 1/2-inch pieces.
You can use as many or as few veggies as you like. I cut all of the following into -- you guessed it -- 1/2-inch pieces. And boy is my knife tired!
3 fat carrots...
3 medium fennel "bulbs"...
which are easy to dice if you first cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips, and then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces...
2 medium zucchini...
1 large, peeled boiling potato...
And 3 fat cloves of garlic. You don't have to cut the garlic into any specific size. Just chop it up.
Well. That's enough slicing and dicing for now. Let's assemble the soup!
Tip some olive oil into a big soup pot or Dutch oven...
And add the diced veggies. Stir to mix.
Then stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt, several grinds of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves.
Cover the pot, and let the veggies steam over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add 6 cups water, and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Then lower the flame and let the soup simmer quietly, covered, until the veggies are perfectly tender -- 20-30 minutes.
Then rinse and drain 2 cups of canned cannellini beans, and gently stir them into the soup. Or, add some cooked rice or pasta shells. There are no rules for the starchy addition.
While the soup is simmering, we can prepare the pesto:
Grab some fresh, fragrant basil from the garden, and pluck the leaves from the stems. The leaves should measure 2 cups when gently pressed down.
Drop the leaves into the bowl of your food processor, and add 1 large, peeled garlic clove.
Also add a pinch of salt, and a big handful of shredded (or grated) Parmesan cheese.
With the machine running, slowly add olive oil through the feed tube. Use enough oil to achieve the consistency you want -- about 1/4 cup.
Put the finished pesto in a cup or bowl.
And by the way, you might want to double or even triple the pesto proportions. Pesto is the secret ingredient that gives this soup its sexy reputation.
To serve, ladle some veggies and broth into a bowl...
And float a dollop of pesto on top.
If you wish, you can arrange 3 or 4 small croutons around the pesto-garnish.
Finish with a light sprinkling of finely-grated Parmesan cheese. Pass extra pesto at the table.
Bon appetit, baby.
In the comments field below, let me know if you might try this soup. Again, you don't have to use my list of vegetables. Use whatever your garden, farmers' market, or grocery store can provide.
You probably don't need a printable recipe, but I'll offer you one anyway:
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:5]
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If you are serving Soupe au Pistou for dinner, consider one of the following for dessert:
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Fresh Mint
Spiced Plum Cake
French Blueberry Galette
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