Soupe Au Pistou (vegetable Soup With Basil Sauce)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3 stalks flat leaf parsley
• 1 large sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 large sprigs fresh marjoram
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 ounces pumpkin, cut into small pieces
• 8 ounces potatoes, cut into small pieces
• 1 carrot, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
• 2 liters vegetable stock or 2 liters water
• 1/2 cup broad bean (fresh or frozen)
• 1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
• 2 small zucchini, finely chopped
• 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup short macaroni or 1/2 cup shell pasta
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaf
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Recipe

• 1 tie the parsley, rosemary, thyme, marjoram with cooking string.
• 2 heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add onion and leek. cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until soft.
• 3 add the herb bunch, bay leaf, pumpkin, potato, carrot, 1 tsp salt and the stock. cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are almost tender.
• 4 add the broad beans, peas, zucchini, tomato and pasta. cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender and the pasta is cooked. add more water if necessary.
• 5 remove the herbs, including the bay leaf.
• 6 for the pistou:.
• 7 finely chop the basil and garlic in a small food processor. pour in the oil gradually, processing until smooth. stir in the parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
• 8 serve spooned over the soup as a garnish.
• 9 note: the flavor of this soup improves if refrigerated overnight, then gently reheated.