Provencal Pistou

Prep Time: 30 mins | Servings: 6 (with lots of left overs)

PERFECT FOR: A Children’s Favorite

This is the French version of the Classic Minestrone, a childhood favorite for all raised in the 1970’s in America. I typically make this soup with fava beans, basil and fresh peas in the spring; but the spontaneity of the Soup Sunday allows us to react to the way we feel when we wake up on Sunday morning regardless what the calendar says! Today's balmy New England weather inspired the Sunday Soup as it should...Pistou is the French version of the Italian favorite Pesto, just without the pinenuts. I like to deconstruct the Parmesan in the Pistou for each guest to garnish to their taste. Don't worry about the exact ingredients...any vegetables will do. Just make sure not to overcook the veggies while allowing the stock to arrive-you want to keep that lovely crunch. For today’s recipe, I had on hand baby broccoli, cauliflower, peas, fennel, carrots, chopped Pomi tomatoes and most importantly (and not optional for this soup), tons and tons of fresh basil. Summer squash, fava beans, asparagus, haricot verts and zucchini are great options too, when in season. Many of the traditional French recipes use potatoes but my family prefers the small white beans (called Northern beans in America) combined with any pastini you can find in your local grocery store. I just love this soup! It is simple, but the addition of the Pistou adds a dynamic and sophisticated touch to this friendly peasant style dish. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cans small white beans (I like great Northern)
• 4 quarts of chicken broth
• 1 Spanish onion
• 4 cloves of garlic (2 for sofrito and 2 for Pistou)
• 1 large fennel bulb, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower (pulsed 8-12 times in your Cuisinart)
• 1 bunch of baby broccoli (pulsed 8-12 times in your Cuisinart)
• 1 bag of organic carrots-many colors if possible-chopped
• 1 box of Pomi of tomatoes-chopped
• 3 cups of fresh peas (frozen organic are fine too)
• 1 cup tiny shaped pasta, such as ditalini
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 bunches of basil-1/2 bunch chopped
• Basil sprigs, for garnish
• Good olive oil
• Shredded Parmesan for garnish

DIRECTIONS

• Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot with a drizzle of olive oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes
• Add chopped fennel and continue to sauté until aromatics begin to blend, but fennel maintains crispiness, 2-3 minutes
• Add the carrots, peas, baby broccoli and cauliflower and season with salt and pepper-5-7 minutes (make sure the baby broccoli and cauliflower has been pulsed in the Cuisinart)
• Add ½ of a bunch of fresh chopped basil
• Add 4 quarts of chicken stock and bring to a boil
• Add one cup of ditalini or other small pastini
• Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, 10 minutes, keeping the vegetables crisp!
• Make the Pistou, which is basically a French Pesto, without the pine-nuts. Blend a big bunch of basil with 2 cloves of chopped garlic with olive oil in your Cuisinart. Salt to taste and set aside
• Check the seasonings. I usually add salt, pepper
• In a blender, combine one huge bunch of basil, 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ of a lemon and drizzle olive oil until the ingredients blend to a Pistou. Chop the remainder of the basil for garnish
• Allow the soup to sit, stove off for about an hour for flavors to blend without the vegetables losing their crunch
• Bring soup to a simmer to heat. While serving each bowl, stir in a heaping tablespoon of Pistou and sprinkle shredded Parmesan and basil to taste
• Serve with crusty French bread and call it dinner!