soup - vegetable, pistou, pesto, basil, herbs, soup
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon
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Mediterranean Vegetable Soup with Pistou
This is my version of a thick and hardy Mediterranean style soup with a touch of the Provence - a pistou* or pesto sauce stirred in at the end. A delicious meal for late Spring or Summer, this is sure to become one of your favourites as it is here in my house.
serves 4
1 liter vegetable or chicken broth
2 small carrots (preferably spring carrots)
1 small leek (white to tender, light green part)
2-3 lg. cloves of garlic
1 celery stalk
1 lg. potato
1 sm. zucchini
1 sm. tomato, peeled
1 sm. handful of butter beans (lg. white fresh beans)
2 sm. handfuls of bow-tie, orrechetti ('little ears') shell or similar pasta
2 T. olive oil
2 good pinches of Herbes de Provence (or thyme)
grated pepper
1 generous T. pistou (or pesto sauce)*
50 g. grated Parmesan cheese
Slice the leek thinly and finely chop the celery. Heat a few teaspoons of the olive oil and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the coarsely chopped garlic . Sauté for another few minutes being careful not to allow the vegetables to brown. Chop the carrots and add with the broth. Cook for 15 minutes.
Cut the potato into large but manageable sizes and add with the butter beans. Cook for 5 minutes longer while you cut the zucchini into thick slices and then again into quarters. Chop the tomato and set aside.
Grate over a little pepper and add the pasta. When the pasta is half done, add the zucchini and tomato. Cover and allow to simmer gently until the pasta is done. Stir in the rest of the olive oil, the pesto and the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately with a good red wine and bread.
Have a small bowl of extra pistou on the table to pass around.
Note: Pistou is the Provence answer to the Italian pesto. They are very similar, however, the French pistou is made without the pine nuts and Parmesan Cheese and uses more garlic. Pesto will also work with this dish, however add an extra clove to the recipe. (Pistou/pesto are fresh sauces made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, salt, olive oil and for the pesto, pine nuts and parmesan cheese is added. Click here for recipes.)
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The Epicurean Table © 1999-2003 Patricia Conant