Vegetable Soup
with Pistou

6 servings

•    PISTOU:
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 clove minced garlic
  
  
•    SOUP:
• 5 cups Vegetable Broth
• 5 ounces potatoes, (1) peeled,
     coarsely diced
• 1 small carrot, peeled, coarsely diced
• 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 leek, (white and pale green part
     only), thinly sliced
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup canned cannellini beans,
     (white kidney beans) drained
• 1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 small zucchini, coarsely diced
• 2 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut
     into 1/2-inch lengths

Peeling Tomatoes: Cut out the stem; plop tomatoes into boiling water for about 1 minute; remove from water with a slotted spoon and immediately drop into a bowl of cold water and ice cubes (to stop the cooking process); peel should practically slide off easily with the help of a paring knife.

FOR PESTOU: Blend all ingredients in processor to coarse puree. Season with salt and pepper.

FOR SOUP: Bring stock to boil in a large saucepan. Add potato, carrot, onion, leek, bay leaf and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add cannellini, tomato, zucchini and green beans; simmer until green beans are tender, about 4 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with a dollop of pistou

Bon appetit!