Vegetable soup with basil and garlic

Yield: 1 servings

Measure Ingredient
2½ quart Water
2 mediums Leeks; (white and
\N \N ; pale-green parts
\N \N ; only), thinly
\N \N ; sliced crosswise
1 medium Onion; thinly sliced
2 mediums Carrots; halved lengthwise
\N \N ; and thinly sliced
\N \N ; crosswise
¾ pounds Potatoes; peeled, quartered
\N \N ; lengthwise, and cut
\N \N ; into 1/2-inch-thick
\N \N ; slices
¾ pounds Butternut or other winter squash; peeled and cut into
\N \N ; 1/2-inch pieces
1 pounds Fresh white beans in pods; shelled, or 1 1/2
\N \N ; cups drained cooked
\N \N ; white beans
\N \N Bouquet garni of 1 celery rib; 3 fresh parsley
\N \N ; sprigs, 2 fresh
\N \N ; thyme sprigs, and 1
\N \N ; bay leaf tied
\N \N ; together with
\N \N ; kitchen string
6 ounces Green beans; cut crosswise into
\N \N ; 1/2-inch pieces
2 smalls Zucchini; (1/2 lb), cut into
\N \N ; 1/4-inch-thick
\N \N ; slices
1 cup Elbow macaroni
4 larges Garlic cloves
\N \N Generous handful fresh basil leaves; (preferably with
\N \N ; blossoms)
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan
1 \N Firm-ripe medium tomato; peeled, seeded, and
\N \N ; cut into chunks
1 \N 1/4 cups olive oil; up to 1
\N \N Special equipment: kitchen string

FOR SOUP

FOR PISTOU

Make soup:

Bring water to a boil in a 5-quart pot and simmer leeks, onion, carrots, potatoes, squash, white beans (if using fresh), and bouquet garni 30 minutes, or until beans and squash are tender but remain intact. Add green beans, zucchini, and macaroni (and cooked white beans if using) and simmer 15 minutes, or until macaroni is tender but not falling apart.

Make pistou while soup is cooking: Pound garlic, basil, salt, and pepper to taste with a large mortar and pestle, alternating between pounding and turning with a grinding motion, until mixture forms a paste. Work in enough Parmesan to make a very stiff paste, then add about one third of tomato, pounding and grinding into the paste. Gradually work in remaining cheese and tomato with a little olive oil until mixture is a barely fluid paste. Gradually work in 1 cup oil, or enough for pistou to become a sauce. (Pistou will not be an emulsion, so it should be thoroughly mixed each time it is dished out.) Serve soup with mortar of pistou on the side, to be added to taste by each person.

Cooks' note:

• If you don't have a large mortar and pestle, finely chop basil and garlic and mash in a bowl with back of a spoon.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Gourmet November 1999

Converted by MC_Buster.

Per serving: 1289 Calories (kcal); 57g Total Fat; (38% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 179g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 741mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 7 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 14½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 11 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.

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