A Provence Summer special - "Soupe au pistou"

I received a large donation of fresh basil earlier this week, at least two whole plants ! I love basil, I could not refuse. In fact, the minute I got my hands on it I knew what it would become.
You see, basil is a seasonal herb in Provence (not like in San Diego where it shows up in stores year round!). It is a Summer staple, a green gold that is delicately handled for anything "pesto", or "pistou" as we call it in Provence. One such recipe is "la soupe au pistou" or pesto soup, a vegetarian stew with a strong taste of basil and garlic, eaten warm, but preferentially cold during the hot Summer days.
There are likely many recipes available, as it's easy to substitute veggies and cheeses to accommodate tastes. Here I am sharing the one I used. It is a mix of my mom's and a recipe from "Recettes en provence" from Andree Maureau (book might be available in english by the way). It gives me a big batch, but it can be kept easily in the freezer for later.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry pinto beans


• 1 lb dry red kidney beans


• 0.5 lb french beans


• 4 russet potatoes


• 3 zucchinis


• 4 tomatoes


• 1 onion


• 2 carrots


• 1/2 cup of elbows pasta


• 1 whole basil plant


• 5 garlic cloves


• 4 table spoons olive oil


• 1.5 cup of a blend of shredded gruyere, edam, and parmesan cheeses


• salt, pepper

Directions:

1. Fill a big pot with water (I used about 1 - 1.5 gallon) and bring to a boil. Add the dry beans and boil for 20 minutes.


2. Add the french beans, the diced and peeled potatoes, the zucchinis (whole, with skin), the diced onion, 2 tomatoes (cut), the carrots (cut), and cook on medium for 2 and a half hour. Stir in between to mash the zucchinis as they get softer. At this point, you may have to reduce the amount of water to obtain a stew consistency by letting the water evaporate during cooking. Otherwise keep the lid on.


3. After 2 and a half hour, add the pasta and cook for another 20 minutes.


4. In the meantime, you prepare a thick pesto paste by adding the following in a blender: 2 tomatoes, the basil leaves, the olive oil, the garlic, and the cheese blend. Blend everything well to a paste.


5. Take the stewed vegetables off the stove and add the "pistou" paste. Mix well, add salt and pepper to taste.

Like any other stews, I find that the soup ages nicely overnight in the fridge. Personally, I enjoy it cold.

As Julia Child would say..."Bon Appetit!" :)