GOLDEN DOOR COOKS AT HOME, Garden Vegetable Soup Pistou
 
 
Garden Vegetable Soup with Pistou Made from basil, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese, pistou is stirred into soups, stews, and pastas to add aromatic flavor and color. Ordinarily, that savory burst comes from a large amount of olive oil and cheese, but my version uses no oil and just a bit of Parmesan. The trick is to puree the pistou without the added fat.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried flageolet, great northern, or cannellini beans
  • 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock (pages 268 and 269) or store-bought low-sodium broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 medium carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
  • 2 celery ribs, diced (1 cup)
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced (1 cup)
  • 4 ounces green
  • beans,
  • cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
  • ½ small leek, thinly sliced (1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup sliced scallions (white and green parts)
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • ½ large ripe red tomato, seeded and diced (1/2 cup)
Instructions
  1. Rinse the beans in cold water and pick over them, discarding any stones or debris. Place them in a large bowl and pour in enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Let stand overnight.
  2. Drain the beans, discarding the water. Transfer the beans to a medium saucepan and add the stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer gently, partially covered, until the beans are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
  3. Stir in the carrot, celery, zucchini, green beans, leek, salt, and pepper and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
  4. Combine the basil, parsley, Parmesan, tomato paste, scallions, and garlic in a blender. Add 2 cups of the hot broth to the blender and process for 20 seconds, until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Pour the blended mixture into the soup and stir to combine. Stir in the diced tomato. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 8 Calories: 120 calories Fat: 1g Saturated fat: 0.5g Carbohydrates: 19g Sodium: 308mg Fiber: 6g Cholesterol: 10mg
Recipe by Still Blonde After All These Years at https://stillblondeafteralltheseyears.com/golden-door-cooks-at-home-2010-1st-quarter-book-review/