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How to make an early spring soupe au pistou {French vegetable soup}.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried small white beans or cranberry (borlotti)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, cut into thin rings
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
- 3–4 cloves of garlic, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- 1/2 lb winter squash (such as butternut, Hubbard, Kabocha, or Kuri) seeded, peeled, and diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
- 6 ounces (1/2 medium) rutabaga (or 6 ounces turnips or parsnips, peeled and cubed)
- 1/2 small can (7 ounces) whole plum tomatoes in juice
- Bouquet garni: several fresh bay leaves, several sprigs of thyme and parsley, tied securely with twine
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 quarts (8 cups) of water
- 1/2 head Savoy cabbage or bunch of kale (or combination), thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup capellini/angel hair or spaghetti, broken into small pieces
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 recipe Pistou (recipe to follow)
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Soak the beans beans overnight. The next day, drain the beans. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large stockpot. When hot, add the the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the leeks, onion, garlic, squash, carrots, rutabaga (turnips or parsnips), tomatoes, bouquet garni, and 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and saute another 5 minutes.
- Add the drained beans, stir to combine, and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add 2 quarts (8 cups) of water, re-season with salt, and simmer gently, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour (cooking time will vary according to the freshness of the beans).
- Taste for seasoning and re-season with salt and pepper.
- Add the kale and/or cabbage and cook a few more minutes, until just wilted.
- Add the pasta and boil until just al dente. Taste for seasoning.
- Serve hot, topped with pistou and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- For the mint-basil pistou: place the minced garlic, salt, and basil in the bowl of a food processor, and process to a paste. Add the oil and process again. Taste for seasoning. Stir again before serving.