Soupe au pistou - country cooking

Yield: 8 servings

Measure Ingredient
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 small Onion, finely chopped
½ cup Finely chopped celery
¼ cup Chopped white-part of leek
8 cups Water
1 cup Chopped peeled and seeded tomatoes
½ cup Sliced carrot
½ cup Diced peeled potato
\N \N Pistou (recipe follows)
1 cup Cooked or drained, canned white kidney beans
1 cup Cooked or drained, canned red kidney beans
1 cup Sliced zucchini
¼ pounds Green beans, ends trimmed & beans cut diagonally into thirds
¼ pounds Tubular pasta or elbow marcaroni
1½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
\N \N Finely shredded Gruyere cheese (opt.)

1. In heavy 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion, celery, and leek. Cook until onion becomes transparent. Add water, tomatoes, carrot, and potato. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Pistou (recipe follows).

2. Add white and red kidney beans, the zucchini, green beans, pasta, salt, and pepper to vegetable mixture. Cook, uncovered, 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.

3. To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls. Spoon some Pistou into each bowl. Top with shredded Gruyere cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Pistou: In food processor with chopping blade, process 2 C fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ C finely shredded Gruyere cheese, and ⅛ teaspoon salt until finely chopped. With processor blade whirling, slowly pour in ¼ C olive oil until mixture is well combined.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Country Cooking/Summer/94 Scanned & fixed by Di and Gary

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